Herdsmen's/terrorists Kidnappings In Kaduna, Benue; Delta States Disturbing - Says Huriwa:

Prominent Civil Rights Advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari; the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu and the heads of security forces, the Kaduna and Delta states GOVERNMENTS and the security to put a stop to incessant attacks resulting into wanton destruction of lives, properties and kidnapping of defenceless civilians for ransome in some parts of Kaduna; Benue and Delta states.

HURIWA expressed shock and consternation as to why communities still come under armed terrorist attacks despite a statewide lockdown imposed to help contain the spread of Covid-19.in virtually the entire federation. " The ease with which TERRORISTS, armed marauders, armed Fulani herdsmen operate in Southern Kaduna and parts of Delta State and the devastation they unleashed in those communities without ever being caught by the security forces goes to show that there are fifth columnists embedded within the Nigerian Security forces or government that provide LOGISTICS; funding support and protection to these armed marauders who have left dozens of inmocent citizens maimed, killed and several communities burnt just like some communities that have just been sent on fire in Benue State by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen and unfortunately the Chief security officer of Benue and the governor lacks the capacity to stop the killings but has asked the citizens to begin a week-long FASTING".

In a media statement signed by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf, HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) said it is disturbing and disheartening to note that at a time when the masses are passing through difficulties due to the Covid-19 lockdown, armed terrorists continue to attack them in their houses with little or no resistance from the security forces statutorily empowered and funded to protect the citizens. HURIWA said it is unexplainable how the terrorists have access to communities with ease carrying assault riffles while law abiding Citizens are forced to stay at home.

HURIWA further affirmed that it is aware of a thoroughly documented information grom dependable sources regarding how some communities have been attacked, lives lost and properties destroyed in the past one week in Kaduna State just as the Rights group said these incessant kiings of Christians have demonstrated an unambiguous evidence of coordinated genocides which the Rights group think the International community must step up measures to compel the Nigerian state to halt these cocktails of suspected state sponsored TERRORISM.

The group said according to a report signed by the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union SOKAPU on Sunday evening 19/4/2020, armed terrorists attacked Ungwan Magaji village in Chawai ward Kauru local government area of Kaduna state killing 4 adults, razing down over 30 houses and displacing over 300 persons.

Also on Saturday being 18/4/2020,armed terrorists attacked Gbagyi villa Community under Chikun LGA in Kaduna metropolis and kidnapped a couple and also a young man name Steven a student of Federal Polytechnic Kaura Namoda Zamfara state.

Yesterday 23/4/2020 armed terrorists attacked two communities in Chikun LGA namely; Aknunako and Kabarasha, two villagers alongside a soldier were killed in the attack while others sustained various degrees of injuries, same yesterday at about 8pm Damba Kosaya village in Chikun LGA came under attack, 5 villagers were killed, some yet to be identified villagers were kidnapped by the assailants while houses,vehicles, food stores and other valuables were burnt down by the terrorists. In a separate attack in neighboring Kajuru local government, Kujeni community was attacked yesterday 23/4/2020 by armed terrorists, one person was killed while two youths were shot and are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital, dozens of houses were razed by the terrorists.

HURIWA is of the opinion that these attacks are way too many to be ignored by the government considering the fact that her primary Constitutional responsibility is the protection of lives and properties of the Citizens as spelt out in Section 14(2) (b) which states that 'the security and welfare of the people SHALL be the primary purpose of GOVERNMENT". "We call on the governors of Kaduna; Benue and Delta states to rise to the occasion and stop the killings of their citizens. In the case of Kaduna it is becoming suspicious that there are persons with connections to either the government or security forces that are sponsoring the killings because these systematic and systemic attacks have gone on for long and not a single of these killers have been arrested and brought to face the full weight of the law. What is playing out in Kaduna has the semblance and substance of a planned and WELL executed genocides. In Delta State we are shocked that armed Fulani herdsmen are permitted to continue to unleash bloody violence and the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to behave as if those of his fellow citizens being killed are mere chickens is ABSOLUTELY condemnable."

The group also charges the security agencies in the states to increase vigilance and intelligence gathering on areas prone to these attack to forestall future occurrences.

The group also said she is saddened by the fact that not a single terrorist has ever been convicted of terrorism in Kaduna state in the past 5 years despite incessant attacks that have claimed hundreds of lives in the time under review. HURIWA therefore calls on the state government to be fair in handling security matters in the state.