Following sustained banditry attacks and other criminal activities in their domains, residents of 10 communities in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State have abandoned their homes for the safety and security of their lives and property
Competent sources disclosed that many of those affected, particularly women and children, have been trekking long distances to seek refuge in the main Giwa town with most of them having unfortunately adopted the chant that; “The fear of bandits and terrorists is the beginning of wisdom”
According to the representative of Giwa West constituency in the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Umar Auwal Bijimi, the mass movement of people started after the removal of Sergeant Usman Hamisu Bagobiri, whom he described as a “dedicated and effective soldier”.
Noting that Sergeant Bagobiri played a crucial role in combating the banditry plaguing the area, Bijimi regretted that his redeployment seemed to have emboldened the criminals, leading to a new wave of threats and increasing criminality within the affected communities.
He further lamented that in committing heinous crimes within the communities, the bandits have succeeded in displacing most of the villagers, listing the affected villages as Angwar Bako, Bataro, Gogi, Kayawa, Marge, Tunburku, and Yuna.
The Assemblyman urged the state government and military authorities to reinstate Sergeant Bagobiri and deploy more committed soldiers to continue the fight against the bandits, thus ensuring the safety of lives and property of innocent villagers, while also enabling them to resume their agricultural activities.
Lending credence to Bijimi’s submissions, a resident of the area, Korau Fatika, said the bandits’ persistent attacks have instilled so much fear in the villagers, maintaining that the unfortunate development has prompted most people to abandon their ancestral homes with family members.
Fatika said the recent wave of abductions of innocent residents, particularly the womenfolk, have further compelled villagers to flee from the areas looking for a safe haven in the Local government headquarters.
In his reaction, the District Head of Fatika, Nuhu Lawal Umar, pleaded with the State government to beef up security in the affected communities, insisting that the prevalence of banditry attacks and criminality calls for urgent intervention by the Federal and State governments.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Internal Security and Homes Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said relevant stakeholders, including the Chairman of Giwa LGA, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Giwa, and local leaders, are being engaged by the Ministry on the best ways to address the current security challenges in the area.
Aruwan assured the people that the matter has been escalated to the appropriate authorities, and efforts are on to further raise intelligence gathering and strengthen security measures within the affected communities
