Definitely, President Muhammadu Buhari will have to defend himself before God in the hereafter for the unabated killings and abductions going on on daily basis at exactly Unguwar Yako along Kaduna to Birnin Gwari Highway. President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to station permanent Security Checkpoint at that dreaded Killing Center which has isolated many people to their graves and enclaves of kidnappers.
Unguwar Yako is a small village after Buruku, about 30 Kilometers from Kaduna city to Birnin Gwari. Its under Chikun Local Government Area. Going to Birnin Gwari, Niger state or even to the Southern part of Nigeria, one has to compulsorily pass through Unguwar Yako.
Unguwar Yako has continued to be the epicentre for bandits activities. They succeeded at dislodging the occupants of Unguwar Yako to migration. The bandits have turned that point as their most free zone for banditry. They do so freely and boastfully because they have not yet been offensively confronted. The bandits are growing in strength and in numbers everyday. Government has gathered all intelligence as regard to their power and how they operate against the defenceless unsuspecting travellers.
The people of Birnin Gwari who are largely affected by the Unguwar Yako bandits have cried profusely to the authorities to come to their aid more than a decade ago, but our cries have yet to yield any positive, concrete, sincere and sustained responses. All the measures currently being taken to stave off armed robbery and abductions at Unguwar Yako have proved abortive. We have at various time and fora taken serious and decisive actions against the bandits through our “Yan Banga, but uptill now there is nothing serious done to curb the scourge.
Yesterday, the bandits have killed and abducted scores. They have been killing and abducting travellers almost everyday at same Unguwar Yako and other dangerous flashy zones along Kaduna Birnin Gwari highway. They will surely kill and abduct more if nothing is done to station permanent security checkpoints at some strategic places along the dreaded highway.
We are fully aware of the various efforts being made by the governments to curb the rising tides of insecurity in Birnin Gwari despite the clandestine ways in which the banditry manifest. Worthy of mention is the establishment of permanent Air force Base Detachment in Birnin Gwari with a view to staving off armed banditry and kidnapping in the area. The establishment of Forward Operation Base of the Nigerian Army as well as establishing Zonal Division of the Nigerian Police are wholesome efforts that will surely curb and stem the current tides of banditry and kidnapping. We thank the government for its resolve to help the good people of Birnin Gwari over the problem that has yet claimed hundreds of lives and thwarted developmental programmes of the government in the area.
The various efforts and sincere concern being shown by the Kaduna State Government about the insecurity in Birnin Gwari, the prompt response as well as committed resolve to find decisive and lasting solutions to the problem are deeply appreciated and acknowledged.
By the same token, specific efforts being made by the Birnin Gwari Local Government Council are also acknowledged and deeply appreciated. We hope they will continue to explore all possible ways and fashion out modalities that could douse the heightened tension in people.
However, it is very pertinent to draw the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari and his Security Chiefs, the Kaduna State Government as well as all stakeholders saddled with our responsibility to become more aware of the current situation in Birnin Gwari, particularly the incessant cases of armed robbery and abduction along Birnin Gwari-Kaduna and Birnin Gwari-Funtua highways.
At least one person is killed and ten others kidnapped along Kaduna Birnin Gwari and Funtua Birnin Gwari highways every day.
These merciless killings and serial abductions continue unabated because of two apparent reasons: Absence of Security along the dreaded highways and the ramshackled state of the roads characterized by heavy potholes.
From Kaduna to Birnin Gwari is 120 kilometres, but there are more than 20 notorious flash points at which armed bandits open fire on the commuters, inflict injuries and trauma, kill and abduct their defenceless victims who are forced to ply the roads on daily basis for survival.
These notorious flashpoints have been for over a decade now been used freely by armed bandits to rob, abduct and or kill the commuters. Until Police Checking points are mounted at these locations identified above, we may continue to suffer from the merciless activities of the armed bandits.
Similarly, from Birnin Gwari to Funtua is 169 kilometer. The road is characterized by its killer potholes and free activities of armed bandits. On that road, almost every point is dangerous as one may be attacked by the bandits anywhere anytime. The moment you pass Mando, then you should start to expect a gunshot targeted at killing and abducting the commuters. However, there are locations that are more dangerous as they continue to be used by the bandits to perpetrate their heinous activities.
Security checking points must be mounted immediately on these dangerous and notorious flashpoints in order to curb the free activities of armed bandits.
In the interim, we need 1 security checkpoint be mounted after every 10 kilometers on the two dreaded highways, then subsequently more checking points can be established.
The checking points to be mounted should, however, be there permanently until when we have a sigh of relief.
Written by Isah Muhammad Galadima
