The stakeholders of Bunuland in Kabba/Bunu local government in Kogi state say that incessant bandits’ attack have killed 30 residents and sacked 21 villages ,with over 50 residents still under captivity.
The leaders of the community group under the aegis of Bunu Development Association (BDA) disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in an interaction in Lokoja .
The president of BDA , Pastor Kokawole Johnson Folorunshon , in the company of his General secretary, Comrade Durowaye Ayo said the Bunuland which had been a peaceful agrarian settlement in the central Nigeria is currently facing a grave and escalating security and humanitarian crisis.
The community leaders attributed the incidents to the incessant attacks of gun wielding hoodlums, whom they claimed had laid siege on the community for months.
The BDA president stated that the situation that started with sporadic attacks initially had evolved into sustained violence marked by killings, kidnappings, terror raids and forced displacement of innocent citizens of the community .He added that the attacks had left the people to lose their everything, including their security, dignity, livelihood,culture and future .
He said : “Our farmers are being attacked on their farms ; travellers are abducted on public roads, and women ,children and elderly are fleeing their ancestral homes in fear.“Entire villages are gradually emptying; this is no longer a local problem. It’s a humanitarian emergency and a threat to community survival.
“Despite efforts by the government authorities, the scale , frequency ,and persistence of these attacks indicate that current responses remain insufficient.
“Many communities feel increasingly vulnerable and exposed , and Public confidence continue to erode.“Residents of 21 out of 38 communities have deserted their ancestral land/ towns ; 30 of the residents have lost their lives; and over 51 of our residents are still under captivity, with 37 worshipers abducted at ECWA Church recently at Ayetoro Kiri topping the list”.
Equally, the president of Bunu Elders Forum (BEF) , Professor Olu Obafemi who was represented by Elder Andrew Owonilepa stressed that the humanitarian crisis that hit their communities needs assistance of both the federal, state and local governments, including individual and corporate bodies .
“Farmers cannot access their farms, our people have deserted their ancestral land, and foreigners have taken over the farms , cultivating crops, and selling their produce to us . We need intervention of all”, he said .
In the same vein, the national president of Bunu students who also double as youth leader of Bunu land , comrade Daniel Friday Aiyegboka and Bunuland woman leader, Mrs OluwaBumi Aromiyo ( represented by Evangelist Abigail Aledara ) noted that the residents are relocating in droves because of the grave insecurity situation in the land .
“People should come to our aide, residents are relocating unrestricted, our children have abandoned schools. We cannot have a peaceful living so far our children,less than 8years old, and our elders, above 80 years old are still in the bush “, said Aledara
.Among others ,the leaders noted that residents in such settlements like Odo-Ape, Agadalepa, Oniriba, Àyetoro-Kiri, Ole , Ibori-Eni, and Idaka have deserted their villages ,courtesy of the bandits attacks.While the group commended the state government and security operatives for their efforts , they appealed to the federal government to come to their aide to ensure peace is restored, and for the displaced people to return to their ancestral land.
On 14th December, the bandits abducted over 37 worshipers at ECWA Church Ayetoro-Kiri attack, and on 19th December, over 10 residents were kidnapped from Olle -Bunu community attack.
Many others raided from Odo-Ape and other villages within this period were reported to still be under captivity of their assailants, for not meeting their ransom demand.–
