After agonizingly burying and mourning their loved once who were killed by bandits suspected to be fulani herdsmen about three weeks ago, residents of Kurmin Masara, Atak-mawei, Kibori in Zango Kataf Local Government area of Kaduna State are still disquieted while trying to recover from the unfortunate incident.
Recall that suspected Fulani Herdsmen invaded the three villages in the wee hours of August 7, this year killing about 15 persons and destroying properties.
When TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) visited the scenes of the attacks on Saturday, security operatives were manned at Strategic points in the various Communities paving way for normalcy to return. But this has not in any way healed the injured victims, calm the bereaved and the displaced who are forced to run to neighbors and relations within and outside the Communities for shelter and food.
47 year old Ephraim Bala is one of the survivors of the attack in Kurmin Masara. Bala told TNG thenewsguru.com that he lost his son and two cars in the raging fire set by the attackers on his house. “….I was seriously affected, my house was burnt alongside my son and my two cars…. I have two wives and right now we have been surviving on friends and cousins….” Bala said. Asked what has changed since the attack, Bala said supports have been coming from different organisations and security operations had been intensified. He however said that the three weeks have been hell to those affected by the attack.
From the household of Bitrus Ali, (aka Ma Bitrus Ali) also in Kurmin Masara, is Dennis John who narrated how confused he is and still has no idea how to start life again. “Our entire house and properties were burnt to ashes, everyone has run for safety, I am the only one left here and am so confused, I don’t know where to start…..”John said. Another respondent, a woman who pleaded anonymity said she now leaves from hand to mouth since the dead of her husband during the attack. She pleaded with president Muhammadu Buhari and other well meaning Nigerians to come to their help and end their ongoing hardships.
In Kibori, TNG visited the home of Mba Aboi where four men were killed including a teenage boy. The house was also burnt down. It was a pathetic scene as women whose husbands and helpers were killed cried when asked how they are faring. According to one of the surviving bereaved, Mbason Michael, life has been tough. He said his Father, elder brother, uncle and nephew were killed and their entire house burnt down during the attack. “Right now we the survivors have no place to stay, no food, to find a place to sleep is a problem, the situation we are facing is unbearable….” Michael said.