Insecurity: 41 Persons Killed, 222 Kidnapped In Q1 2024 In Adara – ADA Says
BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – The Adara Development Association (ADA), has expressed serious concern over what it described as the continuing trend of massacres, mass abductions and outrageous ransoms being extorted from its hapless people.
This was as it said that 35 security breaches took place across Adara land in Kaduna and Niger states in the first quarter of 2024 during which 29 villages were attacked that led to the killing of 41 persons with 24 others injured while 222 persons were kidnapped with many yet to regain their freedom.
Specifically, it said the figures included 11 killed in Ungwan Sako, 13 killed at Gindin Dutse, 29 abducted at Ungwan Sako, 33 abducted at Kwakware, 61 abducted at Buda, 87 abducted at Tantatu, N11 Million extorted from Kwakware and N42 Million from Ungwan Sako.
These were contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, April by the National President of the ADA, Mr Sebastian Barde, who also said that during the period, over 35 houses were destroyed during while ransom so far confirmed to have been paid stood at N88 million.
Barde further said; “A breakdown of the impact indicates that Kachia and Kajuru Local Government Areas had 20 and 21 fatalities respectively. On abductions, 98, 112 and 12 were kidnapped in Kachia, Kajuru and Niger State Adara communities respectively.
“On ransom so far paid, N23million, N58million and N7million were paid by Adara communities of Kachia, Kajuru and Niger state respectively,” he said.
The ADA National President said that latest reports received over the attacks indicated took place on March 31, 2024 at Ungwan Chibiya, Maro and Machu wards were a woman was killed with some parts of her body removed while the bandits refused to allow her body to be taken for burial.
ADA lamented that on the same March 31, at Ungwan Maigari, Ankwa Ward, Kachia serious attack took place and six persons were kidnapped, adding that Gadnaji in Agunu Ward was also invaded during which six persons were equally abducted in the morning of April 3, 2924.
Barde further said; “Adara community seriously suffering and enduring a lot from the intentional and unintentional actions and inactions of government that has the responsibility of protection of life and property.
“While suffering so much, it amounts to double jeopardy for it to be left overexposed again to the excesses of merciless non-state actors like the rampaging terrorists”.
ADA therefore called on the new government to live up to the expectations of the people and prayed that the emerging trends do not continue, so that government takes appropriate initiatives, strategies, and deliberate efforts to address the challenges and grievances of the Adara community as well as others in the State.
The ADA National President therefore called on all sons and daughters of Adara nation to distant themselves from the activities of evil elements but ensure vigilance, unity and synergy in the face of life threatening situation, stressing that there would be no time for frivolities until their survival and future are secured.
Barde noted that during the tenure of the immediate past government of Kaduna state, the Adara community was always in the news following the continued (unabated) devastation of the people and their land, saying that the destructions ranged from recurrent massacres in the Adara villages, farms, markets, the sacking and ransacking of rural communities.
He noted that the abduction and murder of the Adara people heightened following refusal of their First-Class Paramount Ruler, Agom Adara, Dr, Raphael Maiwada Galadima of blessed memory to agree to the balkanization of Adara kingdom which eventually culminated in the scraping of the First Class Adara Chiefdom against their desire and the arrest and detention of Adara elders.
The ADA boss also said that the cumulative effect of the situation is the fact that the community has been brought under severe multidimensional distress that led to the displacement and desertion of over 112 villages in both Kachia and Kajuru Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.
