Bandits sack 100 southern Kaduna communities, force others into negotiations

Southern Kaduna State in Nigeria is grappling with a severe crisis as bandit attacks have forced the displacement of no fewer than 100 communities. These affected areas span across six local government areas, including Shiroro, Kachia, Kajuru, Kagarko, Chikun, and Birnin Gwari. The scale of the displacement is significant, with over 35,000 residents forced to leave their homes, according to the National President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union, Tabara Kato.

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So far, more than 100 communities have been displaced. Some of the victims are now living in Internally Displaced Peoples camps. They are living from hand to mouth and at the mercy of the weather, and human and natural hazards.

The situation has been exacerbated by recent attacks, including one on July 26 in Naridon Village, Kauru Local Government Area, where terrorists killed at least 30 villagers, including eight children, during a three-hour raid. Community leaders point to land grabbing and resource control as the primary drivers behind these terror acts. They allege that armed attackers are sponsored by individuals aiming to seize land, particularly areas believed to be rich in mineral deposits.

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The major cause of these attacks is land grabbing. Every other thing is just secondary to it. The attackers are being sponsored by people with the aim of driving the original settlers away and grabbing their land.

Some communities have reportedly been overrun, renamed, and occupied by strangers after their original inhabitants were displaced. This pattern suggests a deliberate strategy to force indigenous populations out. Leaders are calling for intensified investigations by the Federal Government and security agencies to uncover the financiers of this violence, arguing that arresting suspects alone will not resolve the crisis.

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There are some communities that have been occupied by invaders. The violence is just a cover to chase people away from their communities because of mineral deposits and forcefully take over the communities. Some of these communities have been renamed and are now being occupied by strangers.

The displaced residents are now living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, facing precarious conditions and relying on aid for survival. The ongoing violence and displacement highlight a critical breakdown in security and a struggle for control over land and resources in the region.

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If the government is serious, they can zero in on these sponsors. Security agencies are