Banditry: Humanitarian Crisis Looms In Zuru Emirate Of Kebbi State
…It’s true and we doing something about it – KBSG
BY OUR CORRESPONDENT, BIRNIN KEBBI – There is a humanitarian crisis brewing in Zuru Emirate, Kebbi State as thousands of villagers flee their communities each day from increased invasions by bandits in the last one week, our correspondent who went round affected places found out.
Three of the four Local Government Areas (LGAs) that make up the Emirate that are most affected are Sakaba, Donka/Wasagu and Fakai LGAs.
The Kebbi State Government, through Kebbi State Commissioner of Information, Rakiya Tanko Ayuba while confirming the situation on Saturday, said that the state government is doing something about it.
Also, the Member representing Sakaba State Constituency in the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Hon. Salisu Dangoje, lamented the humanitarian crisis and called for urgent assistance before it is too late.
Blessed with low hills, several rivers and wide fertile valleys, the Emirate is by the standard of Northern Nigeria relatively prosperous as it is acclaimed for its huge breeds of livestock which include cattle, sheep and camel.
With a landmass of 9000kmsq, Camels and Oxens are deployed into semi-mechanised farming, thus churning out millions of tons of grains for sales and consumption by the locals every year.
But banditry which started as isolated cases in Zuru Emirate some seven years ago, has become a large scale daily occurrences since 2020 till date and taking to a peak in the last one month.
A large share of the livestock have been rustled just as most of their owners have been displaced from their Communities.
At the time of filing this report, there are reported raids taking place in rural communities usually in broad daylight thereby causing massive influx of villagers who sometimes trek for hours to get to the nearest urban or semi-urban areas that are considered safe in Zuru Emirate.
The village head of Danka, a semi-urban settlement in Donka/Wasagu Local Government Area, Mallam Jibrin Abubakar Danko said that the number of refugees in Donka town is three or four times the number of the residents.
Danko said; “I can’t estimate their numbers, but they are in their thousands. They are still coming each day and feeding them is a huge challenge”.
“Most of them manage to escape with only what they had on, carrying not a grain of food. Some of the women have resorted to begging. I don’t know what will happen in the next few weeks. We need urgent intervention,” he pleaded.
The displaced persons are almost everywhere that looks secured in the Emirate including Zuru town, and it’s satellite areas such as Sabon Gari and the historically rich Dabai town.
Others where human misery could be seen are Ribab, Bena, Waje, Ayu, Yalmo and even vulnerable Unashi, which was also viciously attacked last April.
Other places where the IDPs can be sighted are Diri Daji, Dirin Gida, Jan Birni, Beve and other areas our correspondent could not visit.
Mrs Mariam Bitrus, a mother of 11 children at the United Mission Church of Africa (UMCA) at Diri Daji said; “We are hungry all the time and we don’t know how long we can manage it here.
“My village (Maganda, Adai ward in Sakaba LGA) was attacked by thieves and they stole our cattle and burnt our grains and we had to run down here last week.
“The food that the government shared did not reach us. And it is more than two weeks now,” she said.
But the Kebbi State State government said it is aware of the humanitarian situation in the Emirate and doing something about it
The Kebbi State Commissioner for Information, Rakiya Tanko Ayuba, said the government and individuals have donated food items recently, adding that more will be done.
According to Auba; “No government or any human being that will not be touched by what is happening in Zuru Emirate.
“The governor is deeply troubled by the development and he is putting in measures to assist the security personnel on ground with more logistics and other support.
“As for the IDPs, we shall continue to assist them with food and other essentials. We are pleading for the understanding of everyone. We are also asking for prayers that God will intervene in this matter,” she told our correspondent on the phone.
In the same manner, Hon. Salisu Dangoje, said that while the people need food and clothing urgently, the foremost demand is security.
In his words; “Our people are not poor and lazy. They are rich from farming and keeping animals. Once there is adequate security, they will return and start their lives all over”.
