Wednesday, November 01, 2017

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

  • 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

  • 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


  • Aack on Irigwe community
    doctors 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]

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