In a desperate bid to stay alive, threatened residents of Northwest Nigeria are now reportedly offering their wives and daughters to terrorists and bandits as insecurity worsens in a country under the watch of a former army general.
Despite promises by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, who came to power vowing to smoke out terrorists, armed gangs have continued to terrorise residents of Katsina, Zamfara and neighboring states.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Dr Bashir Kurfi, a community leader said the villages of Batsari, Dutsenma, Kankiya, Chiranci, Funtua, Safana, amongst others in Katsina, were under siege.
According to him, bandits and terrorists were occupying some villages, while the inhabitants were seeking refuge elsewhere.
“In so many villages the bandits also call households and ask them to send to them their wives, daughters or sisters to sleep with them.”
“Apart from the incessant attacks and killings of innocent people, they also rape the women. I know of a woman who was gang raped by over 40 bandits. So many schools closed because of banditry have now becomes home to bandits; and in some other villages people are already living together with the bandits at their homes.
“They (Bandits) forcefully collected their (peoples) farms, turned the people into slaves and forced them to farm for them, and also rape their daughters,” he said.
Kurfi alleged that the government has failed to make any provision for the victims or assist them to reduce their agony and misery.
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