From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
The Adara Development Association (ADA), has said in the first quarter of 2024, 35 security breaches have been reported across Adara land in Kaduna and Niger states with over 29 villages attacked, 41 persons killed, 24 persons injured and 222 persons kidnapped and many are yet to regain their freedom.
A statement issued by Sebastian Barde, the National President of the association, Wednesday evening, , said, “Over 35 houses were destroyed during the period and the ransom so far confirmed to have been paid is N88 million in the first quarter.”
The National President explained that the latest reports just received more attacks, one at Ungwan Machu, Chibiya, Maro Ward on 31st March, saying that a woman was killed, while some parts of her body to be removed and the bandits refused to allow the body to be taken for burial.
On 31st March, he lamented that at Ungwan Maigari, Ankwa Ward, Kachia was attacked and 6 persons kidnapped, adding that Gadnaji in Agunu Ward was also invaded and six persons abducted early in the morning of 3rd Apri, 2924.
He lamented, “We are particularly concerned about the continuing trend of massacres, mass abductions and outrageous ransoms being extorted from our hapless people. Specific examples include the 11 killed in Ungwan Sako, 13 killed at Gindin Dutse, 29 abducted at Ungwan Sako, 33 abducted at Kwakware, 61 abducted at Buda, 87 abducted at Tantatu, N11 Million extorted from Kwakware and N42 Million from Ungwan Sako.”
Adara community, he said’ is suffering and enduring a lot from the intentional and unintentional actions and inactions of the government that has the responsibility of protection of life and property, saying that while suffering so much, it amounts to double jeopardy for it to be left overexposed again to the excesses of merciless non-state actors like the rampaging terrorists.
He called on the new government to live up to the expectations of the people and prayed that the emerging trends do not continue so that the government takes appropriate initiatives, strategies, and deliberate efforts to address the challenges and grievances of the Adara community as well as others in the State.
He called on all sons and daughters of Adara nation to distance themselves from the activities of evil elements but ensure vigilance, unity and synergy in the face of our life-threatening situation, stressing that in no time for frivolities until their survival and future are secured.
He noted that during the tenure of the immediate past government of Kaduna state, the Adara community was always in the news following the continued (unabated) devastation of the people and the land, saying that the destructions ranged from recurrent massacres in the Adara villages, farms, markets, the sacking and ransacking of rural communities.
Sebastian Barde explained that the abduction and murder of the people heightened to their First-Class Paramount Ruler, Agom Adara, Dr, Raphael Maiwada Galadima of blessed memory and culminated in the scraping of the First Class Adara Chiefdom against their desire and the arrest and detention of Adara elders.
He stated that the cumulative effect of the situation is that the community has been brought under severe multidimensional distress that led to the displacement and desertion of over 112 villages in both Kachia and Kajuru LGAs of Kaduna State.
