Bashar Town In Wase, Plateau Turns Into A Ghost Town, As Four Traditional Rulers, Residents, Flee For Safety Over Fear Of Bandits Attack

Yakubu Busari

The People of Bashar district of Wase Local Government Council of Plateau Traditional have fled the town including traditional ruler for the fear of bandits attack.

Information reaching this medium revealed that the bandits attacked the House Of Representatives’ Deputy Speaker’s Home Town, and others.

Bashar is the hometown of the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Ahmed Maje Wase.

Village heads in Bashar District in the Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State have fled as a result of attacks by bandits.

According to Abdullah Usman, a resident of Sabon Gari village, the village heads and other residents had fled,

He said, “The kidnappers attacked and kidnap villagers and asked for ransom. If you don’t have money, they kill you. In some cases, they tie you up with ropes.

“On Sunday, they attacked Sabon Gari village and killed three persons. Yesterday (Tuesday), they kidnapped two persons in Yalun village.

“We are in serious trouble. We are now at the mercy of kidnappers. Village heads of Bangalala, Kinashe, Aduwa and Achale have already fled their areas. The villages are under the total control of kidnappers.”

Abdulhamid Cikaaiki, a resident of Bunyum village, also said they were planning to flee the village as kidnappers had dominated villages surrounding Bunyum and had been attacking them on a daily basis.

The spokesman for Operation Safe Haven, Major Ishaku Takwa, when contacted on the development, said the troops responded to a distress call in the early hours of Tuesday about the bandit attacks and kidnapping in Wase.

The Bandits are operating in broad daylight in villages of Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State. According to the residents of the affected villages said, the entire Bashar District which is one of the four districts of Wase LGA has been experiencing banditry and kidnapping activities for the first time.

The latest attack is coming days after soldiers and youth in some villages of Wase District said activities of kidnappers and bandits in the areas had been relatively tackled following the efforts of the security agencies and other youth  on February 18, 2022  residents of Pinau and other villages under Wase District began to return to their homes following the return of peace in the area.

Some residents of the affected areas said the relocation of the bandits to their areas could be connected to the presence of soldiers and youth groups in villages of Wase District.

Abdullah Usman, a resident of Sabongari village told our correspondent that the bandits were now attacking most of the villages under Bashar District at their will and had led to the fleeing of village heads and other residents to other places.

He said: “The kidnappers attack and kidnap villagers in the brought day and ask for ransom. If you don’t have money, they kill you. In some cases, they tie you up with roop and your relatives to pay the ransom.

“On Sunday, they attacked Sabongari village and killed three persons. Yesterday (Tuesday), they kidnapped two persons in Yalun village. We are in serious trouble. We are now at the mercy of kidnappers. Village heads of Bangalala, Kinashe, Aduwa, and Achale have already fled their areas. The villages are under the total control of kidnappers, ” he added.

Abdulhamid Cikaaiki, a resident of Bunyum village also told this medium that they are planning to flee the village as kidnappers have dominated villages surrounding Bunyum and have been attacking their village on daily basis.

“As I am talking to you now, we have already packed our belongings in one place. We are thinking about how to leave the village because of the fear of the unknown. They attack us anytime they feel. We just have to leave because there is no single security personnel in the village. We are calling on federal, state, and local government to come to our aid, ” he added.

When contacted the spokesman of the State Police Command, ASP Ubah Gabriel, on the matter, he neither answered the call not respond to SMS  by our correspondent.

However, the spokesman of Operation SAFE HAVEN, a multi-security task force maintaining peace in the state, Major Ishaku Takwa, when contacted on the development said ” troops received a distress call in the early hours of yesterday  Tuesday 22 February 2022 bout bandit attack and kidnapping in Wase. The troops responded swiftly and rescued the Victim. The troops also neutralised 2 of the bandits and recovered AK 47 rifle belonging to the Kidnappers with 17 rounds of ammunition.”