No
fewer than 3,094 Nigerians have been killed by suspected Boko Haram insurgents
and Fulani herdsmen since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office on May 29,
2015, Saturday PUNCH investigations
have revealed.
Findings
by our correspondents based on related killings as reported by the media show
that at least 2, 569 persons were killed by the insurgents while 525 others
were killed by the nomadic cattle rearers in the period under review.
In
June, July, August, September and October 2015, the sect reportedly killed 368,
635, 431, 267, and 279 persons, respectively.
But
starting from November 2015, the number of persons reportedly killed by the sect
dipped with November 2015 recording 81 deaths; December, 136; January 2016,
104; February 2016, 90; March 2016, 26; April 2016, 43; and May 2016, 12.
In
2015, Nigeria ranked third in the 2015 Global Terrorism Index, trailing Iraq
and Afghanistan.
According
to the index, on June 4, 2015, a female suicide bomber in Maiduguri killed two
people near a military checkpoint. On the same day, 45 people were also killed
in a Yola market, Adamawa State when a blast ripped through the place.
On
July 1, 2015, suicide bombers attacked a hospital in Kukawa, Borno State when
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo visited the state, killing 118 people.
Also
on July 17, 2015, 50 persons were killed when suicide bombers attacked a Muslim
prayer ground in Damaturu, Yobe State.
One
of the worst Boko Haram attacks in the last one year include an attack on
Dalori village, some four kilometres from Maiduguri, Borno State on January 30,
2015, where at least 86 people were reportedly killed after an invasion by the
insurgents.
On
February 9, 2016, 60 people were reportedly killed while 78 others were wounded
when two female suicide bombers suspected to be Boko Haram members, sneaked
into a camp for internally displaced persons in Dikwa, Borno State.
However,
the situation did not apply to the casualty figures associated with Fulani
herdsmen attacks.
June
2015 recorded 97 deaths arising from suspected Fulani herdsmen attacks;
September recorded three; October, 18; November, 22; December, 28; February
2016, 300; April 2016, 55; and May 2016, two.
Last
December, no fewer than 22 persons were reportedly killed when suspected Fulani
herdsmen attacked Kwata in Jos South Local government area of Plateau State.
In
February 2016, suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked a village in Agatu, Benue
State, reportedly killing at least 300 persons. The attack has been described
as one of the worst ever witnessed in the series of attacks by Fulani herdsmen.
In
April, 2016, at least 40 persons were also reportedly killed when suspected
herdsmen attacked Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.
About
seven villages in Nimbo including Ugwuijoro, Ekwuru, Ebor, Umuome and
Ugwuachara were among the areas attacked.
No
fewer than 10 houses including a church were also said to have been burnt in
the attack.
In
the same month, suspected Fulani herdsmen also attacked Dori and Mesuma
villages in Gashaka Local Government Area of Taraba State, killing at least 15
people, according to the police. Although, residents said more than 40 persons
were killed and several houses razed by the assailants.
One
of the most recent attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen occurred on Friday, May
20, 2016, when two persons were killed and six others injured following an
attack on Oke Ako in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
It
was alleged that the assailants had attacked their victims for refusing to
allow the herdsmen use their farmland for grazing their cattle.
Source:The Punch
Tags
Society