Attacks on Miango villages, Nigeria

• 
  

  Aack on Irigwe community

  RENEWED ATTACKS ON MIANGO VILLAGES IN BASSA LGA, PLATEAU STATE

  Following the series of attacks on communities in Plateau State, Stefanos Foundation team

  embarked on a fact finding mission to ascertain the extent of destructions visited on local

  communities in Bassa LGA between 8

  th

  September – 17 October 2017.

  In those attacks, more than twelve (12) villages were affected including Taagbe, Nkiyie

  Donghwro, Rotsu, Haraku, Npachudu, Kpara, Nzhweruvo, Tafigana, Rikwe-Chongu, Hukke,

  Ancha and Farin Mota. The locals identified the assailants as Fulani Militants, although some of

  the invasions were carried out at night when the villagers are asleep, they still could recognize

  the attackers by the Fulani and Hausa languages they spoke. These attacks resulted to the death

  of over seventy-five (75) persons, twenty-three (23) persons were admitted for various degrees of

  injuries, while 489 homes were burnt leaving 13,726 persons displaced from the communities.

  Stefanos Foundation team was at Enos Hospital in Miango, Bassa LGA on 19

  th

  of October 2017,

  where they met and interviewed some of the victims of the attacks. The victims shared some of

  their experiences with the team:

  Bitrus M Giwa, Nkiyie Donghwro Village, Bassa LGA.

  Bitrus M Giwa (28 years old) and a father of one, spoke to

  Stefanos team that…. “I was in Nkiyie Donghwro village

  when the attack happened around 7:30 pm on the 16

  th

  of

  October 2017. The soldiers told us to take refuge in the LEA

  Primary School at Nkiyie, but I refused and stayed back in

  the village. In the evening, we heard gunshots and ran for

  safety while the gun men shot at us. I was able to identify

  that they are Fulanis because they spoke in Fulani language.

  The Fulani militants shot two (2) people among us while running. I was operated on typhoid of

  the intestine few weeks before the attack, so while we were running for safety the stitches

  ruptured and I had to be taken to the hospital.”

  Chris Aya, Rotsu Village, Bassa LGA.

  Chris Ayas story was narrated by his aunt, Mrs Asabe Bulus, Chris Aya is from Rostu village,

  Bassa LGA. On the 17

  th

  of October 2017, they were on their way to a hideout at night when the

  elder brother sent him to get a bag from the house. As he approached the house, he saw some

  armed men and screamed for his family to run for their lives then the men went after him and

  STEFANOS REPORT 31102017 1
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  Aack on Irigwe community

  shot him and used a machete to hack his head. Thinking he was dead they left him there lying

  helplessly, he then crawled to a stream where he sought refuge behind some stones bleeding

  profusely. The following morning his family members went out in search of his dead body

  thinking he was dead, then he came out of hiding and spoke to them. They took him to the

  hospital where he is presently receiving treatment. All the houses in Rotsu were burnt down.

  Lisa Bono, Taagbe village, Bassa LGA.

  Lisa Bono, a victim of the attack in Taagbe, narrated her

  ordeal to Stefanos team saying… when we heard rumors

  about the planned Fulani herdsmen attack on our

  community, we sought refuge in my in-law’s house.

  While we were asleep, we then heard gunshots around

  the house. The Fulani militants had surrounded our

  house shooting sporadically and a bullet got me on the

  chick through the window. No one was able to go out of the house, they set the house ablaze with

  us inside. I then heard one of the assailants saying they should go since they have set the house

  ablaze. After the place was quiet I came out of the room through the window. In that attack 5

  members of my family were killed. Those killed include: Yari Nga (father-inlaw), Friday Danladi

  (child), Mary Danladi (child), Asabe Stephen (child), Laraba Yari (mother in-law), and Tegwi

  Shwe (neighbor). Ms Lami Danladi sustained injury on the thigh as a result of gunshots.

  Friday Chinge, Nkyie dongwro Bassa LGA.

  Before the attackers came I was with the soldiers, then I saw a Fulani man that came out and

  started shooting, I told the soldiers that the Fulani militants have entered the community, the

  soldiers refused to respond. Few minutes later, one of the Fulani Militants came out and shot in

  the air and went back to the bushes, it was then I realized I wasn’t safe with the soldiers who

  were posted there to protect the community. Then I saw one of the Fulani militant came out of

  the bushes and made hand gestures to the other armed Fulani men. I asked the soldiers what shall

  we do? The soldiers told me to enter into a primary school classroom where some of the villagers

  are taking refuge at the advice of the soldiers, but I declined. One of the soldiers ordered me to

  enter the classroom and threatened to shoot me if I refused. Some people came out from a

  particular house because of the gunshots and ran to the soldiers for help, who told them to join

  the others in the classroom. However, I advised the people not to go into the classroom, but they

  did anyway. So I laid down in the grasses with the soldiers, as we were lying down on the ground

  I saw one of the soldiers pointing his hand, directing the Fulani militants towards the classroom

  where the villagers are. Then the Fulani militants started shooting towards where I was lying

  down, so I rolled and ran and hid close to a wall. I saw the Fulani militants forced the classroom

  door open. The soldiers withdrew from the scene, the militants then surrounded the classroom,

  some stayed close to a window, and some stayed close to the door and opened fire on the people,

  killing almost everyone in the classroom except for two who survived with serious gunshot

  injuries. From where I was hiding, I could hear the screams of people in the classroom while the

  STEFANOS REPORT 31102017 2
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  Aack on Irigwe community

  operation lasted. So I waited till the over 20 heavily armed Fulani

  militants who were speaking Fulfulde went away. This attack

  happened on the 15

  th

  October, 2017. And none of the 12 soldiers

  who were there shot a gun to repel the attack.

  Adam Wuh, Nkyie dongwro, Bassa LGA.

  On 15

  th

  October, 2017 after

  dinner we heard gunshots and saw Fulani people coming

  towards us, then we started running. I tried to use a shortcut

  route to escape. The soldiers blocked me and said I should

  enter the class where the other villagers sought refuge. I

  then entered the class and the military men collected our

  phones, the Fulani militants came towards the class and the

  soldiers surrendered I was peeping from the class where I

  was. While I saw the Fulani militants approaching the class, I forced the window open and fell

  off the window and became unconscious. About four (4) of us went out through the window

  three (3) were killed by the Fulani herdsmen and when they saw me unconscious, one of them

  said they should just leave me thinking I was dead. The armed Fulani militants were dressed in

  black. They wore face masks which covered their faces except their eyes. I recognized they are

  Fulani because they spoke in Hausa and Fulani language. After I regained consciousness, I was

  walking into the town when I saw some soldiers. One of them said they should carry me because

  of the way I was struggling to walk as a result of the injury I sustained on my leg while coming

  out of the window, but the other said their bike is not for people like me. I then kept struggling

  till I got into the town.

  Dr Ogbioba Osaze, Enos Hospital, Miango, Bassa LGA.

  Dr Ogbioba Osaze, is the medical director of Enos Hospital. He shared his with Stefanos team

  the patients his hospital has handled from the attacks. On 8

  th

  September, 2017, I was called that

  there were casualties in the hospital around 1am to 2 am. I then rushed to the hospital and saw

  cases of gunshots and machete injuries. So I called the police which is ethical of the profession

  and the police came to the hospital.

  About 11 of the victims were brought into the hospital, five (5) female and four (4) male, with

  three (3) children. A victim died 20 minutes after arrival of cardiac arrest, a child who suffered a

  lot of blood loss also died. We made referral to some patients because the hospital was

  overwhelmed, while we treated some to recovery and discharged afterwards. So far, government

  has not paid the bills of the victims but some religious organizations have supported in reducing

  the bulk. Right now the bills owed runs up to N500, 000. About 3 days ago while I was in the

  STEFANOS REPORT 31102017 3
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  Aack on Irigwe community

  doctor’s quarters, I was called that there are some cases of gunshots which I informed the DPO

  (divisional police officer) about it and he came. Eleven (11) of the patients were brought to the

  hospital, four (4) discharged, one (1) referred, and one (1) to a traditional doctor for bone setting.

  Presently we have five (5) patients on admission and need assistance for drugs and other hospital

  expenses which would a go long in helping the victims. Out of the patients in the hospital, the

  lady whose hand was amputated, is five (5) months pregnant. Two (2) of the patients who were

  badly injured were taken for x-ray and scanning and three (3) were at the ward in need of x-ray

  and scanning.

  SUMMARY OF THE STATISTICS OF THE ATTACKS BY SUSPECTED FULANI

  MILITANTS IN MIANGO DISTRICT, BASSA LGA OF PLATEAU STATE. FROM 8

  TH

  SEPTEMBER – 17 OCTOBER 2017. (Courtesy: Irigwe Community)

  S/N Names of areas Date Type of

  disaster

  No. of

  Death

  No. of

  Inured

  Hospitali

  ze

  Hospital

  Bill

  N

  Houses

  destroye

  d

  1.

  Ncha 8-9-17 Genocide

  attack

  26 7 9 629,570 7

  2. Nkiedowro 8-10-17 Genocide

  attack

  1 5

  3.

  Hukke

  9-10-17 Attack 2 Nil Nil

  4. Kpachudu 10-10-17 Attack 5 4 4 175,970 49

  5. Nche-Tahu 10-10-17 Burning of

  Houses

  47 67

  6. Ri-Meli 54

  7. Ri- Chu 54

  8. Nzwerivi 11-10-17 Attack 1 Nil 34

  9. Nzhweruvo 11-10-17 Attack 5 49

  10. Tafigana 11-10-17 Attack Nil Nil 34

  11. Zanwra 11-10-17 12

  12 Rikwe-chongu 12-10-17 Burning of

  Houses

  Nil Nil 75

  13. Kpara 12-10-17 Attack Nil Nil 25

  14. Taagbe 14-10-17 Attack 6 2 2 91,000 10

  15. Nkiedowro 16-10-17 Attack 29 7 7 304,930 6

  16. Rotsu 17-10-17 Attack Nil 1 1 44,000 67

  17. Haraku 18-10-17 Attack Nil Nil 124,5470 23

  TOTAL 75 23 23 489

  STEFANOS REPORT 31102017 4Man is by his constitution a religious animal; atheism is against not only our reason, but our instincts.—Edmund Burke (1729-1797)_Reflections on the Revolution in France_ [1790]