Burra Community In Bauchi Living in Fear and Panic As Kidnappers Return To Community In Full Force: Wreaks Havoc

0 199

Abdul Ahmad Burra

Kidnappers who have been rampaging the communities of Burra District of Ningi Local Government for months have return in full force after they retreat for a while.

The merciless groups now operate daily, kidnap people for huge ransom and now resort to killing and maiming innocent people in their farms and villages.

Just yesterday, a gang of kidnappers invaded two villages; Tipchi and Sabuwar Kaura and kidnap 9 people in Tipchi including women children and shot three in Sabuwar Kaura. The kidnappers who came at 12:00am midnight operated for 3 hours unhindered. According to the communities, they contacted security personnel stationed in Burra, but they said they don’t have facilities to confront the kidnappers at that time.

Everybody in this area is living in fear and agony. Businesses, farming and mining are halted beyond expectation in this area where millions of naira are generated from these activities daily.

One will wonder why after all the outcry and complains about the activities of these criminals in the area, they are still unperturbed and they continue with their satanic activities unhindered.

Although the state government through the member representing Burra constituency in the state assembly Hon Abdullahi Saad Abdulkadir Baba-Iyali and Sarkin Burra Alhaji Ya’u Shehu Abbakar facilitated the upgrade of Burra police station to a divisional police station and a small group of military personnel are stationed in Burra, they couldn’t confront the kidnappers due to poor funding and lack of facilities and equipments.

Another fact on why the kidnappers found safe haven in Burra is the carefree attitude of the state government in fighting these groups to ground. There is no clear commitment from the government. All you hear from the state government is sweet words and paper presentations but no action. Many proposals are made by either political leaders, traditional rulers or community leaders on how to confront this great threat to the state security but the government seems very much careless about them.

The same carelessness happened when cattle rustlers were operating in the area. Neighboring Kano state showed more commitment to end the menace than our state Bauchi. Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje visited Bauchi-Kano border at Gomo-Burra three times to see for himself and sympathize with the communities but no similar gesture from our state, even an aide of the Governor never came for that purpose. Kano State police commissioner became regular visitor to our community while our own never thought of doing same.

Whenever our community leaders contact the security personnel they complain about lack of support from the state government. ‘Wetin we fit do now?’ Even the local vigilantes who sacrificed their lives to protect their communities need support of the government talkless of the security agencies.

We have heard of Senator Isah Hamma Misau complaining about deterioration of security in this area in which he promised to take up the issue as a matter of emergency to the senate as soon as they resumed from recess. But all ended in newspaper pages as no such motion by Sen Misau and no any other commitment from him. Though his colleague in the House of Reps Hon Salisu Zakari Ningi made an effort but we are yet to see the result of his efforts.

The fact is that, we are left alone, we are helpless and we live in fear. Gangs of bandits from Zamfara and other places see opportunities in Burra-Lame forest thus they are trooping to the forest freely and unhindered. One of the victims recently released over heard the kidnappers making phone calls telling their friends somewhere to come to Burra and Toro forest as they make 50 million naira in one month from ransom they receive.

I therefore, call on the Bauchi State governor Muhammad Abdullahi Abubakar to show commitment on ending insecurity in our area before it goes out of hands. Provide fund and all equipment needed to the security agencies. Also President Buhari should for the sake of God and national security intervene in this area. Chief of Defence Gen Gabriel Olanishakin and Chief of Army Staff Gen Tukur Buratai should please mobilize their men to this area to save our lives and the economy as Burra is a great treasure to Bauchi State economy.

Leave a Reply