At least nine farmers were gruesomely murdered and an unconfirmed number of persons still missing after rampaging Boko Haram attacked Unguwan Mai-Gero village, a mining community in Madaka of Rafi local government area of Niger State.
Sources who spoke to NewsNGR said that the incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon after internally displaced persons had gone out in search of food.
One of the displaced persons, Ibrahim Rabi’u Bassa who witnessed the attack narrated that the heavily armed terrorists plied Bassa, his village, to attack residents of neighbouring village, Allawa on their farm.
“They came and plied Bassa with Motorcycles and divided themselves while 3 motorcycles came into the community without stopping anyone,” he told NewsNGR.
He further stated that terrorists stopped women, asking them for the location of the men before proceeding to kill nine residents of Allawa.
Giving his account of the incident, he added, “I heard the terrorists invaded Unguwar Mai-Gero, near Madaka where mining takes place. When they got to the area, the people began to run and they gathered people including Allawa’s residents.”
He pointed out that, “Allawa’s residents were told to be separated from others and instantly killed eight of them.
“They trailed one person who fell into the river with multiple gunshots.
“We will bury the remaining bodies while other unconfirmed numbers are still missing,” he bitterly lamented.
Farmers Shot At Sensitive Parts
Many sources interviewed by this reporter confirmed the gory pictures of the eight victims as well as being shot at sensitive parts by the rampaging terrorists.
Usman Abubakar Allawa, one of the bereaved family who lost four of his brothers in the Boko Haram’s attack narrated to NewsNGR that his biological brother and other three family members were gruesomely shot at.
He said, “It is from that attack that their eyes were forcefully removed by bullets fired by the terrorists who wore military clothes. The residents were all shot in the head and some victims were shot through their eyes.
“My biological brother and three other family members died in the attack. I witnessed the whole incident from beginning to the end,” he told NewsNGR.
He said the terrorists’ unending attack chased them from Allawa forcing the residents to settle in Unguwar Mei-Gero to farm just to survive and feed their families.
“Our people went to the village to farm and also go for mining to have money to buy herbicide.
“We heard the bandits were in Bassa and they chased people before proceeding to the attacked village,” the bereaved Abubakar said.
The deceased brothers, according to Abubakar, were about to farm when the terrorists attacked them very close to the river.
The deceased names are Suleiman Abubakar, Mubarak Isah, Ibrahim Musa, Danladi yahaya, Abubakar Jibrin , Jafar Abdulkareem, Abubakar Musa, Sani gambo, and Isiyaku Yahaya.
Abubakar told NewsNGR, “They assembled victims and told victims to be separated based on where they come from. So, those from our village were separated and began to shoot them one after the other. They killed nine of them.
“We brought their corpses to Kuta and buried them at midnight.”
The attacked village, Unguwan Mai-Gero village, is a border community with Allawa and other villages in Shiroro local government area of the state.
Yahuza Garba Azumi, a concerned youth, told NewsNGR that displacement caused by the terrorists had forced them into mining, saying the terrorists shouted Allahu Akbar (God is great) before shooting the victims.
“Once the terrorists shot at each victim, they shouted Allah Akbar, meaning, God is great. and one person among the victims feared how they were killed and ran into the river. They shot sporadically into the water and died inside the water,” Azumi said, adding his body was found on Wednesday.
Azumi stated that nine persons were confirmed killed, accusing Unguwar Mei-Gero residents of pointing out victims of Allawa that defied to step out
He revealed that his colleagues went there for mining due to their displacement by Boko and Bandits, citing unending attacks by terrorists for deserting their homes.
He continued, “The terrorists attacked them (victims) while fleeing for their lives, many of them stopped at Riverside waiting for a canoe to pick them up.
“In their large numbers, the fleeing residents waited at the riverside where the terrorists met and assembled them at one place and began asking for residents of Allawa to step one-on-one.”
He further said the displaced locals searched for what to eat since farming has become inaccessible to his community.
“We have to look for what to eat for daily life. Most of our people went to Unguwar Mai-Gero to look for what they will eat,” he added.
When asked why terrorists targeted his Allawa’s residents, he cited a lack of negotiation between his village and the terrorists.
He further told NewsNGR that Allawa Game Reserve is now a hideout for Boko Haram and Bandits, emphasising the failure of negotiation as the reason behind targeting Allawa villagers.
Residents Desert Farming Communities
For over five months, the residents of Allawa and others have deserted neighbouring villages and fled their homes for fear of wanton killings.
Azumi said, “The terrorists now camp in our homes and use our farm. Four brave men from our village sneaked into the town at midnight to monitor the situation. The four men saw a torchlight in the town and Motorcycles were wandering around the town.”
“Our various farmlands were planted with Maize, soybean and other edible plantations,” he revealed.
Zakari Bin Adam, who spoke to NewsNGR said Bassa, his community and other villages fled their homes for the past five minutes.
He noted that for over five months, the residents of his community had fled their ancestral home without any hope to safely return home.
According to him, “The terrorists are not farming in Bassa but the terrorists farm in Allawa village. They also came into Bassa. Before there was the presence of soldiers but not now.
“They have stopped villagers from farming and the people only survive on the farming but the government is doing nothing to salvage the problem.”
Dozens Still Missing – Chairman, Shiroro Youths
In a telephone call, Ibrahim Usman Kuta, the coalition chairman of Shiroro youths confirmed the incidents to NewsNGR, saying the number of missing persons is yet to be confirmed.
“Up to now, there is no confirmed number of missing persons and even casualties. There is no exact number,” the coalition leader said.
“We only know that we have buried nine because of the way the attack came in. Some in the process of escaping drown in the river and their bodies have not yet recovered.
“Some of the bandits were shooting sporadically”, he quoted eyewitnesses to have said, adding that bullets might have killed the drowning victims.
In line with what the coalition chairman said, Usman Garba similarly said the number of casualties are yet to be confirmed.
“As I was told, they killed many residents while another unconfirmed number of persons in the rivers are still missing,” Garba had said.
He told NewsNGR that residents of Bassa have yet to return home. “They severely alleged that they would bring soldiers but till now nothing has been done,” he said.
When NewsNGR contacted the Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Garba Mohammed, a retired major-general, said the state government had suspended him from briefing the press.
When asked about efforts made by the state to return the deserted villages to their home, he added, “For now, the state has even suspended me for talking to the press because there was something…. They were broadcasting something that is not even correct.”
The police Spokesman in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, declined to comment on the attack when contacted.
