A youth forum from Lakpma community in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger East Senatorial District known as Lakpma Youth Forum has alleged that no fewer than 50 of its communities have been taken over by terrorists.
The forum blamed Senator Sani Musa representing them at the National Assembly of neglect as bandits displace several communities.
Spokesman of the Lakpma Youth Forum, Abdullahi Suleiman Erena in a letter of protest accused the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District of double standard.
The statement stated, “The truth is that Lakpma consists of eight political wards, six districts, and hundreds of towns and villages.
The area is more than half of Shiroro LGA in terms of population and land mass.
“Lakpma Youth Forum is saddened by the systematic depopulation of our communities for over a decade by hydra-headed terrorist organizations like the Ansaru, ISWAP, bandits, and others.
“Our people have suffered a dehumanizing reign of terror from kidnapping, murder, arson, rape, ethnic cleansing, economic deprivation, and political disenfranchisement by a systematic crusade that seemed to us.”
According to them, though Lakpma has suffered so much in the hands of the terrorist caliphate established in the Lakpma axis of the Shiroro Local Government Area, the senator has not deemed it fit to visit any of these communities to condole with them, or visit the survivors in the IDP camps around Shiroro Local Government Area.
The letter stated, “The senator is one person we had much hope in because we thought he could loud our cries to the rooftop by virtue of his privileged position as a ranking senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He has direct access to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
“It all started with a devastating attack on Allawa town, where more than 50 houses were burned to ashes and scores were killed or kidnapped.
“The marauding terrorists found no resistance during their escapades and were emboldened to expand their proposed caliphate to Roro, Maganda, Polowire, Mangoro, and Bassa.”
The youths said on April 21, two officers leading a team of soldiers responding to a distress call at Roro village were murdered by the terrorists, and on April 25, soldiers at the forward operations base at Allawa were withdrawn, leaving the stretch of villages to their fate.
Faced with imminent death, the inhabitants had no option but to run for their lives.
“This treatment will be extended to Bassa, Rumache, Kasamani, Makuba, Lanta, and all the adjoining villages.
“The aftermath of each of these attacks leaves charred bodies, headless torsos, burned houses, and bans of assorted food items turned ashes.
“All the inhabitants of these villages have been in IDP camps for months.
“Most times, the condition of the people of Kurebe, Kwaki, Malfa, Fadama, Kusasu, Kushaku, Kudodo, Kaure, Kushaka, and hundreds of villages adjoining these towns are hardly reported because it seems the government of Nigeria has handed over these places to terrorists on a platter of gold for their new caliphate.
“Today, these terrorists make laws, enforce them, and collect taxes,” the youths lamented.
They noted that even with the latest tragedy, where a mine pit collapsed in the area, the Senator did not deem it fit to visit the traumatized people who are his constituents to sympathize with them.
The lamented, “For a part of your constituents to suffer these, and you can still go to bed to sleep, calls to question your state of mind or leadership credentials.”
The Senator has not responded to the allegation. But a key ally to the Senator, Hon. Nma Kolo who is Political Advisor to Governor Mohammed Bago said the youth are desperately making efforts to contact the Senator to apologise for the damage they did to the Senator’s name.
He noted that the Senator may not be reached as he might be travelling out of the country.
On the 50 villages the youths said have been taken by terrorists, he said he was not in position to comment on that.
Bago who left for pilgrimage in Saudi Area with his deputy, Speaker of the state assembly and several other government functionaries has yet to return to the state.
