HURIWA carpets military as bandits deploy helicopter, kill 32 in Kaduna

Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA) on Thursday, carpeted the Defence Headquarters over its failure to deploy the 12 newly acquired Super Tucano aircraft in the North-West seven months after a Federal High Court designated bandits as terrorists.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, slammed the military hierarchies especially the Nigerian Air Force for its tardiness in dealing with terrorists terrorising the North-West.

The group said while the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force are condoning the heinous killings of bandits, the marauders, now emboldened by the inaction of the government, have moved on to allegedly deploy sophisticated weapons including an attack helicopter.

According to reports, terrorists in helicopter attacked residents of Adara community in the southern part of Kaduna State on Sunday and killed over 30 persons.

The National President of Adara Development Association, Awemi Maisamari, said the carnage was carried out by Fulani terrorists who aside from shooting sporadically from the helicopter, were aided by assailants on ground who came on 150 motorcycles carrying three armed persons each.

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“The death toll this morning (Wednesday) is 32, as villagers comb surrounding bushes for more bodies. Seven were found this morning decomposing,” he said, adding that an Evangelical Church Winning All in the area was destroyed.

Reacting, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “The killing of scores in Adara in southern Kaduna is unfortunate and totally avoidable if the military doesn’t ignore intelligence and telltale signs. HURIWA sympathises with the bereaved and prays for their consolation and comfort.

“Earlier in February 2021, controversial Islamic cleric and bandit-sympathiser, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, disclosed that bandits operating in the northern states forests are planning to acquire anti-aircraft missiles to repel attacks by the military.

“In March 2022, terrorists bombed a moving Abuja-Kaduna train and killed scores while others were kidnapped. On July 18 2021, bandits shot down a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet on the border between Zamfara and Katsina states.

“Yet, the military and the sleeping regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), have gone on full somnolence and failed to treat the mass killers of innocent citizens as they are supposed to be treated despite that they have killed thousands of innocent souls in Kaduna in the last one year.”

Commenting further, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “The dastard killing by Fulani terrorists who operated from helicopter in Adara was aided by the conspiracies of inactions by President Muhammadu Buhari who did not also take action against Fulani terrorists that shot down a military jet in Zamfara despite a court declaration that the bandits are terrorists.