24 people were slain in a terrible Easter Sunday attack on Debe village in Shanga Local Government Area, according to the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, which has expressed new concern about the rising violence in Kebbi State.
The assault was the most recent in a string of violent events that have occurred in the border settlements between the states of Niger and Kebbi.
A few days prior, many villages in the same Shanga Local Government Area, including Gebe, Kawara, and Kalkami, had been the target of a concerted nighttime attack by suspected bandits that destroyed homes and drove out the locals.
According to security officials, the attackers are thought to have come out of hiding places in Niger State’s Borgu Local Government Area’s Wawa Forest.
Tactical units, the military, maritime police, and local vigilantes were deployed to restore order, according to the Kebbi State Police Command.
In a statement released on Thursday in Yauri, Kebbi State, the Diocese said that at 5 p.m. on April 5, suspected terrorists stormed the hamlet and unleashed hours of carnage that left scores dead and properties in ruins.
The Diocese stated, “We want Nigeria and the international community to know what transpired in Debe.” “In contrast to earlier police reports of four fatalities, the confirmed number of fatalities is 24.”
The Church claimed that the victims were religiously diverse, including Christians, Muslims, and traditional worshippers, highlighting what it called a “tragedy against humanity, not a particular faith.”
Targeting primarily men and young people, the assailants reportedly torched St. Mary’s Catholic Church, a mosque, private residences, and shops on fire.
”Twenty-four people were slain when the terrorists stormed the village. A mosque and a church were among the properties that were destroyed”. The statement went on, “This is a terrible blow to the entire community.”
There have been reports of extensive damage in Binuwa and Kalkame as a result of the violence spreading into nearby settlements. The emir’s home as well as markets were not spared.
Following the incident, hundreds of locals left their houses in search of safety. According to the Diocese, St. Dominic Parish in Yauri is now housing 491 internally displaced people.
It warned that current support efforts are overburdened and stated that “these displaced persons are in urgent need of food, clean water, medical care, and adequate shelter.”
The Church requested immediate action from the Federal Government and Kebbi State authorities while offering emergency aid.
The Diocese encouraged “President Bola Tinubu and Governor Mohammed Idris to take decisive action to restore security and enable displaced persons to return home safely.”
It cautioned that dread has taken over villages throughout the state, preventing people from burying their deceased or starting over in peace.
“In Nigeria, people are slain every day. According to the statement, “Kebbi State communities are currently living in fear.”
The Diocese also called for long-term solutions to the region’s insecurity and urged humanitarian agencies and the international community to act quickly to stop the problem from getting worse.
