10 Killed in Renewed Attack in Bauchi

Posted by admin Bauchi, Headlines, State News Saturday, April 9th, 2011

No fewer than 10 persons have been reportedly killed in Bar Arewa, a village in Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The incident occurred when the village was attacked by yet to be identified gunmen who set the village on fire in a renewed ethno-religious crisis 24 hours after the state governor, Isa Yuguda, visited the area on an assessment visit.

An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, claimed that the attackers stormed the village in the early hours of Friday armed with guns and machetes.

The witness further said that almost all the houses in Bar Arewa were set ablaze during the attack, adding: “Some elderly people were burnt to death as they could not move out of their houses.” He said the attackers fled the village after the killing and burning which lasted less than an hour.

Secretary of the Zaar Traditional Rulers and Elders Forum, Mr. Bukata Zhadi, confirmed the attack and killings, lamenting that the recent attack on Bar Arewa was tragic as some people were burnt inside their houses. According to him, “More than 10 burnt bodies were removed from the burnt houses.”

He, however, alleged that the soldiers that were brought to maintain peace in the area prevented the Sayawa from defending themselves against the Huasa/Fulani terrorists who were allowed to kill the Sayawas.”

He also said that, “The terrorists are brought and kept in the bush and are being fed by the state government on tax payers money,” just as he appealed to the Federal Government to withdraw all the security men posted to Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro local government areas and allow the Sayawas to defend themselves against their attackers.

It will be recalled that last week, the villages of Yola and Goskam and Bom in Bogoro Local Government Area were also attacked by marauders, killing at least five people. Among the deceased was a 12-year-old boy, Shedrack Elisha and 50-year-old Daniel Kushi who were killed at Goskam Bom village.

In his reaction to the development, the Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor on Media Affairs, Sanusi Mohammed, said that Bukata Zhadi’s allegations were baseless and unfounded.

He said “The state government has not descended so low to hire mercenaries to kill its own people. But if he can assist the state government to fish out those mercenaries, the government will be happy and he will be rewarded.”

All efforts to get the police reaction to the incident did not succeed as the PPRO, Mohammed Barau, told newsmen at about 11.00 a.m. in that he was not aware of the attack.

-Tribunewp_posts