A total number of 239people were killed in one week while 44 others were kidnapped at the time underreview. A daily analysis by premium times articulated this .
In his Saturday articletitled, ‘The Endless Martyrdom of Youth’, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka said Nigeria is at war buther leaders are pretending.
Indeed, that is the perfect description of the current situationof Africa’s most populous nation where kidnappings and killings have become theorder of the day.
In the past week, at least 239 people were killed and 44 otherskidnapped in separate violent incidents across the country, mostly by armednon-state actors.
The violence is not limited to any state, ethnic group orreligion. It is a general problem that the administration of PresidentMuhammadu Buhari is finding difficult to curb.
For several years,citizens agitated for the removal of security chiefs as their tenures hadlapsed and the security situation was getting worse. Even though Mr Buhari did not agree withthe views of Nigerians and indeed lawmakers, he reluctantly listened to thepublic outcry this year. He changed the nation’s security heads butkillings and kidnappings have not reduced.
Weeks after a new police chief was appointed, suspected BokoHaram terrorists attacked his hometown, Geidam, in Yobe State.
Different state governors– Samuel Ortom ofBenue State, Babagana Zulum ofBorno, and Hope Uzodinma ofImo, among others – have been victims of the violence; as they or theirproperties were attacked.
On Tuesday, the United States government issued a traveladvisory, warning its citizens against travelling to Nigeria over the worseningsecurity situation in the country.
The advisory also identified some high-risk zones in thecountry, where kidnapping for ransom, terrorism and other security threats arecommon.
This security situation, arguably, worsened last week with atleast 239 people killed and 44 others kidnapped in violent attacks.
These figures were compiled using a review of newspaper reports,interviews with victims’ families and in some cases, confirmation by public andsecurity officials.
Sunday
PREMIUM TIMES reportedthat no fewer than 20 persons were killed inreprisal attacks between vigilante groups and bandits in Maru Local GovernmentArea of Zamfara State.
Residents accused security agents of failing to act to preventthe attack in spite of a report to them days before. The attackers operated forabout three hours looting and attacking people unchallenged.
On the same day, troopsof the Nigerian Armed forces foiled attemptsby Boko Haram to take over Dikwa, headquarters ofDikwa Local Government Area of Borno State.
Also on that day,Nigeria’s defence minister, Bashir Magashi, told journalists that President Buhari is happy with troopsperformance against Boko Haram.
In a separate incident, three people sustained gunshot woundsin a failed kidnapping attempt at Koka Village in Ibokun Local Government Areaof Osun State.
Monday
Two police officers were killed in Anambra State, in adeadly attack by gunmen on a police facility in the state.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that some vehicles parked at thestation’s premises were razed during the attack at the Zone 13 policeheadquarters at Ukpo, near Awka.
The killed officers were Ishaku Aura, an inspector, and UzomaUwaebuka, a police constable.
Also, the police confirmed an attack ona divisional station in Abia, saying the attackers “used dynamite and rocketlaunchers to burn down the building.”
The police in KatsinaState said they killed three suspected bandits andrecovered 330 stolen animals on Monday.
Tuesday
Many students and staff of Greenfield University in KadunaState, were kidnapped, at about 8:35p.m on Tuesday.
The Kaduna Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Jalige, whoconfirmed the incident, however, said that the number of students kidnapped hadnot been ascertained.
But two university staff told AFPnews agency that 20 students and three non-academicstaff were kidnapped. A staff member was also reportedly killed. The gunmen demanded a collective ransom ofN800 million and threatened to kill the students if the ransom is not paid.Three of the kidnapped students were later found dead.
In a separate incident, three construction workers rehabilitatingthe lkaramu/Akunnu Akoko highway in Akoko North West Local Government Area of OndoState were abducted on Tuesday.
The abduction was confirmed by Tee-Leo lkoro, the state policespokesperson, who said operatives have “been deployed to the community torescue the victims unhurt.”
In a separate incident,armed men ambushed and killed Suleiman Quadir, anoperative of Amotekun Corps, around Fiditi area of Oyo State.
A 25-year-old femalestudent of the Osun College of Health Technology, Ilesa, was also abducted onTuesday. The victim, Rukayat Bayonle, was rescued three hours after.
Wednesday
Attacks by suspected bandits across villages in Zamfara Stateleft at least 83 persons dead and hundreds of others, including women andchildren, injured.
PREMIUM TIMES findings revealed thatmost of the attacks, which appeared coordinated, happened on Wednesday inGusau, Maradun and Bakura local government areas of the troubled North-weststate.
The police also confirmedthat two of their officers were shot dead byunknown gunmen during an attack on a police station on Wednesday in EnuguState.
Some gunmen also killed a businessman, AlagaOlayemi, on Wednesday evening while returning home from his maize farm.
Thursday
Gunmen reportedly abducted18 passengers from a commercial bus in the Ibarapa axis of Oyo State.
The passengers were said to be coming from Ogun State into thestate. The incident occurred on Thursday morning along Eruwa-Igboora way.
President Buhari on the same day met with the Northern GovernorsForum at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He pledged his commitment toend all forms of insecurity in the country.
On the same day, gunmen abducted anAll Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Ekiti State, Ebenezer Busuyi.
Mr Busuyi, who is Supervisor for Agriculture in Ekiti West localgovernment area, was kidnapped on Thursday evening along the Ilawe-ErinjiyanEkiti road.
Also, the NigerianSecurity and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Edo State, on Thursday, announcedthat one of its personnel waskilled during an exchange of gunfire with suspected kidnappers in Benin City.
Security agentsalso foiled an attempted jailbreak byinmates of Kurmawa prison located within the Emir’s Palace in Kano.
Friday
Residents of Magami toldPREMIUM TIMES that they buried over 60 corpses on Friday morning, afterearlier reporting the recovery of 53 bodies. They said many residents werestill missing and feared being killed. The Chief Imam of the town, SanusiNa’ibi, presided over the funeral prayer. Most of the corpses were brought infrom surrounding villages but some residents in remote areas that could notmove their corpses to the town held separate funeral prayers and burials.
Also, three of thestudents kidnapped on Tuesday night at Greenfield University in Kaduna Statewere found dead on Friday. TheKaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, SamuelAruwan, made the disclosure in a statement.
Suspected Boko Haramterrorists attacked Geidam,the headquarters of Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State and hometown ofthe acting Inspector-General of the Police, Baba Alkali.
The military also said atleast 21 Boko Haram terrorists werekilled on Friday after the insurgents attacked Geidam.
Also, 20 women were reportedly abductedby armed bandits on Friday during a naming ceremony in a remote village inKatsina State.
The incident occurred around 1:00 p.m. at Gidan Bido village inDandume Local Government Area (LGA) of the state
The police denied thissaying it is a fairy tale but a resident quoted by Daily Trust confirmed knowing some of the victims.
Saturday
The Imo State government confirmed the attack on Governor Hope Uzodimma’s house in Omuma Oru East Local Government Area on Saturdayby unknown gunmen.
While they failed to give the number of casualties recorded inthe attack, PREMIUM TIMES confirmed that two security guards died.
A security team made up of officials of the Nigerian Army, thepolice and the State Security Service (SSS) later raided the headquarters ofthe Eastern security Network (ESN), the militant arm of the outlawed pro-Biafragroup, IPOB.
