My mum, brother were killed and set ablaze – Iliya, 12-year-old

Posted by admin Headlines, Plateau, State News Friday, September 9th, 2011

Joshua Iliya is a 12-year-old student of a secondary school in Zagaleo, a village near Babale on Bauchi-Jos road. His village came under attack last week.

Joshua was a nervous wreck this afternoon when he spoke to Saturday Sun. He granted this interview despite writhing in pains, having lost his mother and his siblings to those he said were Fulani men, who were assisted by men in military uniforms.
In his own case, Joshua was shot in the leg and could not move freely. He also had burns all over his body.

How did this all happen?
I can’t believe this. I am still in a state of shock. God help me out of this. I was calling on my mummy to stand up and see how my brother was killed. I didn’t know that my brother had also been killed. We were sitting down outside at about 9pm when we heard sporadic gun shots. Before we could look up to see what was happening, the entire house was on fire. My mother was crying to alert people to come to our aid and she was gunned down. My brother was busy calling me to come out and run, but he was also shot dead.

They did not only shoot him dead, they also roasted him.
Please, God take away these pains from me. What do you want me to tell you? Look at my mother and brother lying down dead. (sobs profusely) We were sitting down outside and we heard gun shot and immediately the people burst into our compound. My mother was dragging me to the room. The attackers broke the window and threw fire inside the room. My brother was crying and calling people to assist him but they shot him immediately and set fire on him. One of my elder brothers was also shot in his leg and head and he died immediately. In my own case, I was inside the room in a bed with my mother and the people were shooting. They later came in through the widow with grass and set fire on me. They did not know that I was there, but I pretended as if nothing was happening.

Immediately they left, I stood up and put out the fire, but did not come out. They later shot my mother dead and cut her head into pieces with machetes. (sobs again). As I was inside, the room was burning and somebody came and was peeping; but I pretended as if I was dead. He left and killed our dog and fire was burning my mother who was already dead. (sobs). I tried to put out the fire but could not. Then I went out of the house and ran for my life.

Can you recognise those who carried out the attack if you see them?
Yes. They are Fulani people. They were speaking Fulani and saying just one word but I cannot recall the word now. I also saw soldiers in their uniforms with guns. If the attackers say shoot him, they will come. At first they hid near our door but could not open the door until one of the soldiers came and shot at the door before they had access. If not for the fact that I endured the heat of the fire, I would have also been killed.

-Sunwp_posts