Insurgents and bandits who, some years back, were said to be decimated, seem to have staged a comeback with ferocious attacks in Benue, Zamfara, Katsina, Adamawa, and Plateau States.

As at the last count, no fewer than 1,000 people have been sent to the great beyond in the affected states, and tens of thousands have been displaced.

Benue: 13 LGAs under siege

Sunday Telegraph investigations revealed that Benue State, which prides itself as the “Food Basket of the Nation,” may lose its status to another state in the country as almost 85 per cent of the farming communities have been deserted due to the activities of armed Fulani terrorists, which has given rise to increased violence and killing of innocent farmers.

Dozens of the inhabitants, including women and children, have been massacred in cold blood, and hordes of others have been rendered homeless, a development which has given rise to massive rural-urban migration and accompanied by a high cost of living.

As a result of this ugly scenario, many schools in the affected communities, markets, worship centres, and general social life have been shut down for fear of attacks by the insurgents, who often take the people unawares.

At least, 13 out of 23 Local Government Areas of the state are now under siege due to the activities of the armed herdsmen.

Over 80 per cent of the land naturally belonging to the inhabitants had been taken over by the arsonists.

The local government areas worst hit by the acts of terror include: Agatu, Apa, Ogbadibo, Otukpo, Ado, Gwer-West, Guma, Ukum, Buruku, Logo, Katsina-Ala, Kwande, the homestead of former Minister of Steel Development, Wantaregh Paul Iorpuu Unongo, as well as Makurdi, the metropolitan local government, among others.

Hordes of inhabitants have fled their homes and are currently taking refuge in different areas, lacking basic amenities like food, water, and shelter.

Some of the victims of the attacks who spoke to the Sunday Telegraph, including Mr. Lawrence Akerigba, a resident of Jato-Aka in Kwande Local Government Area, lamented the level of devastation the attacks and killings have caused the residents.

He said: “Moon, Mbaikyor, Mbadura, Kumakwagh, and Yaav have been under siege due to persistent attacks by herdsmen.

“The invaders have destroyed all harvested crops such as yam, bambara nuts, rice, dried cassava, and guinea corn, among others, with which we feed our families.

“At the moment, we have no food to eat; we cannot rely on the small quantity of the relief materials sent in by the government, which is not even good.

“Let the government provide security for our people, so that they can go back to their ancestral homes, cultivate enough food. We believe that if security is on the ground, the children can also go back to school, markets will be open, and our people can sell their farm produce to cater for their immediate families.

“We also advise both the state and Federal Governments to open up our communities by constructing access roads to the hinterland, so that our farmers can be able to access available markets when the need arises. Otherwise, as we speak, there are virtually no good roads around and our enemies use them to attack us”.

“Most importantly, we appeal to Governor Hyacinth Alia to fully implement the grazing law that was enacted by his predecessor, because it helped check the excesses of the nomadic herdsmen against the peasant farmers”.

One of the survivors of the attacks in Gwer West Local Government Area, wallowing in one of the IDP camps, told the Sunday Telegraph in confidence: “We are dying of lack of food supply.”

The victim, a father of seven children, said the camp, where he is staying with his family is indeed unhabitable, and any disease that comes can be transmitted easily.

He also lamented the lack of portable water, latrines that give room for open defecation, and appealed to the state government to come to their rescue through the provision of the essential needs to better their health conditions.

Katsina: Madaci, terrorists’ most dangerous camp- resident

The story is not different in Katsina State, where violent killings seem to be a normal event.

Only last Monday, bandits struck at Dayi village of Malumfashi Local Government Area, killing seven people and abducted scores.

Similarly, a prominent, wealthy man in Malumfashi, Alhaji Awwalu, was kidnapped and died in the hands of the kidnappers.

Last Wednesday, the dreaded bandits in broad daylight, around 1.00 pm in Sabuwa Hospital, attacked the hospital and opened fire on the patients, killing two people and wounding many others.

Also in Mararabar Maigora of Faskari Local Government Area, on the same day at around 11.00 am, they attacked and killed a farmer on his farm and kidnapped others, while at Dandume kidnapped one person while inspecting his farm.

A source, who sought anonymity, for the safety of his life said: “Madachi Bandits Camp is the most dangerous camp. As such, if neutralised, there would be peace in the entire three front line Local Governments of Sabuwa, Dandume and Faskari.”

He called on the Federal Government and Katsina State government to raise their efforts towards eliminating the Camp for the people of the areas to access their farm lands, as the rainy season has started to set in, if the much-talked-about food security is to be achieved.

Zamfara: 103 villages held by terrorists

Zamfara State, being considered a bandits’ stronghold in the northwest region, is again fast becoming too notorious for security agencies to penetrate, as the recent incessant attacks on innocent communities indicated the terrorists are still intact and even in the filthiest mood to continue unleashing terror at any time they decide.

Investigation had it that a number of villages across the 14 local government areas of the state are under the full control of bandits, especially where there is not a presence of functioning Police outpost and or any other personnel deployed to by their sister agencies for the protection of their lives and property in the areas.

According to accounts communicated to our reporter by some villagers from such affected areas and who had spoken under anonymity for their safety, the bandits turned their enclaves into institutions that serve as Police Outfits and Courts as they received complaints from the inhabitants under their domains for resolutions.

The Source said: “We used to lodge our complaints against our contending friends and brothers as we did to Police and other related authorities before, now. One that felt offended has to go to the bandits’ enclave to ventilate his grievance. Later, the accused or suspect would be invited to appear for defence.

“But for the villages that failed to comply with the directive for living under the bandits’ rule, they would be displaced to either take refuge in Gusau, the state capital, or any other remote place to avoid merciless killing.”

A traditional ruler, who had chosen not to be identified, said the situation remains appalling because they were at a crossroads. He said they were at a loss on whether to work with government against the bandits; ‘then our lives and our families’ lives would perish helplessly in the hands of terrorists.

He cried that they were surrounded by bandits while their domains remained inaccessible to security personnel, adding: “Wet season has arrived during which all accessible routes would be ruined by heavy rains. Therefore, it’s almost impossible for security personnel to get to the bandits’ enclaves.”

Another traditional ruler told this medium that they witnessed the unchallenged movements of bandits daily as they move to attack or rustle cattle, as well as kidnappings for ransom.

“At some points, we saw them coming back as they conveyed their victims.”

He further revealed that he was informed, in the Anka Local Government Area alone, 102 towns and villages have been dispersed by bandits for their refusal to remain under the order of bandits.

It would be recalled, the renewed bandits’ attacks had claimed many innocent lives and property in the state.

Adamawa: Towns near Borno suffering

In Adamawa State, at least, 50 residents in Dugwaba district and environs in Hong Local Government Area are still in captivity due to incessant attacks and abduction.

Dr. Herbert Rufus Hanawa, Principal Special Assistant to Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri on Budget, disclosed this when he led a delegation of Dugwaba Community on a courtesy call to the Speaker, Adamawa State House of Assembly, Bathiya Wesley, on behalf of the District Head, Mr Simon Buba.

He revealed that 50 persons out of 58 from the community, who were abducted were still in captivity, pointing out that 18 of the victims managed to escape from the den of the terrorists after spending days.

Meanwhile, the Tol Hoba of Hong, Alheri Nyako, in an interview, appealed to the Federal Government to deploy additional troops to the Hong Local Government Area following renewed attacks by Boko Haram terrorists on communities bordering the Sambisa Forest in Borno State.

The monarch attributed the killing of 10 local hunters last week to the absence of an Air Force operational base in Adamawa, which he believes has left the region vulnerable.