Bandits kidnap women in Oyo as hunters await approval from Govt for rescue operation

By Ibrahim Wuyo

Naomi Yakubu, the mother of one of the students who was shot during the recent Yauri attack, has told the BBC Hausa that her 18-year-old son who was a final year student in the college, fell victim to the bandits’ bullet while he was carrying some primary school pupils to safety.

While narrating her story,she said ” I was informed of what happened and on our way,I was told that one boy was shot.I had the premonition,it could be my son that was shot.On reaching there,I found it was my son that was shot,with 2 bullets.”

On the condition she met her son,she said ” well,praise be to Allah.I met him lying down…..it’s now that they allowed me to talk to him.He is 18 yeas old.He told me that there were little children who the bandits were pursuing to kidnap.He is in SS3,he was running while carrying the primary school children .It was in that process that they shot him from the rear.”

“When he fell down,the bandits put him in their vehicle to go with him.But they saw blood gushing out of his body and decided to drop him.They pushed him down.”

Naomi explained that her som survived by the will of Almighty Allah because a lot of blood gushed out of his body.

“He is getting better,he is in the hands of people,with the doctors……Because of the blood coming out ,one teacher quickly carried him and ran away with him,” she said.

A source told the BBC Hausa that 3 students have died so far,2 females and a male.According to the report,one of the female students was asthmatic,as her father had said.But the male student died from gun shots.

“So far,only one soldier had problems but he was rushed to Birnin Kebbi….A father who was at the college to look for his son,bursted into tears when he saw the dead body,” he said.

In a similar development ,the BBC Hausa reported that bandits have sacked about 5 villages in Anka and Bukuyum communities of Zamfara state.

According to the report,already about 29 locals were killed by the rampaging bandits,who rustled their livestock and stole farm produce,a development that led to a mass exodus in the communities.

Abubakar Mai Inji,a resident of Tungan Rogo who had since moved to another location,said the bandits have chased out the locals in 5 villages within the Bukuyum and Anka axis.

” The places have been deserted,we’ve been in a state of fear and confusion.We are now in Nasarawa,no food.We are hungry.They’ve killed 29 of our people,drove our cattle away and packed our food,” he said.

Another local who sought for anonymity,told the BBC Hausa that the bandits came on bikes numbering about 300, each carrying 3 bandits wielding dangerous weapons.

“They were shooting sporadically,they blocked the road..they crossed over to Gana and Rampashi where they rustled cattle,about 700 and over 200 camels ,” he said.

When contacted,the PPRO in Zamma state,Mohammed Shehu ,told the BBC Hausa service that they were yet to get the information ,but would investigate.