I am using the last ounce of energy left in me to type this. A rural community in Kwara State’s Kaiama Local Government, which is a close geographic, consanguineal, historical and cultural cousin to my own Baruten Local Government, is bleeding from an unspeakably sanguinary terrorist assault that has so far claimed the lives of at least 170 people, and counting.
People familiar with what happened in the village of Woro in Kaiama Local Government said the bloodbath started yesterday evening and continued into the morning hours of today.
The trigger for the mass massacre was the decision by the district head of the village, by the name of Alhaji Salihu Umar, to inform authorities of a letter the community received from the terrorists stating that they would be coming to preach in the village at an unspecified date.
The village head suspected that the terrorists, known to locals as Mamuda, were up to no good, so he did what all law-abiding people would do: report to the security forces.
It turned out, however, that the terrorists appeared to have informants among the security forces the village head reported to. At least that’s what the people believe.
The terrorists were incensed that the village head had the temerity to report them to the security forces and decided to go on a mass murdering spree in retaliation. It’s not the first time the Mamuda terrorists have done such a thing in that community.
They not only murdered, they also burned homes and kidnapped people, using the personal SUV of the village head, whose whereabouts are still unknown as of the time of writing.
The photos of slaughtered and mutilated bodies of innocent men, women and children that my people shared with me have immobilized me and will probably haunt me for days.
In previous weeks, they massacred hundreds of innocents on the Niger State side of Borgu in the most brutal way imaginable.
What kinds of homicidal beasts spill innocent blood just for the hell of it? The government must act to stop this insensate cruelty once and for all. Security must be beefed up across the entire Borgu area, from Kebbi through Niger to Kwara.
Just in case the screwdriver salesman who feeds rightwing Americans stories about “Christian genocide” is tempted to use Google to “verify” that the innocents murdered in Borgu are Christians, they are Muslims.
All deaths should worry anyone who makes even the slightest pretense to humanity.
Update on the Massacre
I just got off the phone with Governor Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman, whose Chief Press Secretary, Mal. Rafiu Ajakaye, called me shortly after I posted my last update.
The governor was in Kaiama when we spoke. He went there with about 1,000 military officers as part of what is called “Operation Savannah Shield,” a new initiative to battle the terrorists, anticipate their moves, and contain them. in that part of Nigeria.
I also spoke to Brigadier General Nicholas Rume, Commander of the 22 Armored Brigade, Sobi Barracks in Ilorin, who was with the governor. He assured me that the situation was contained.
He said they verified 75 deaths but indicated that the number could rise, as it had already jumped from 65 to 75.
The village head of Woro, Alhaji Salihu Umar, has also been found alive.
I appreciate the governor’s quick intervention and physical presence at the theater of the mass massacre and hope that “Operation Savannah Shield” works to ensure that this does not happen again. Prevention is always better than reaction.
