The massacre that took place last week in some communities in Kwara State could tell us only one thing. It is that the armed marauders that are laying siege to many parts of the country won’t put down their arms because they are winning the war. And as the American Nobel literature laureate Ernest Hemingway says in his novel A Farewell To Arms, “No one ever stopped when they were winning.” Yes, these bandits, as we erroneously call them, will not stop the killings because they know they can’t be stopped.
There are two conflicting narratives we have heard, one by a victim and the other the military. Let’s take this village head, the victim, first. He spoke in an interview he granted Arise Television, reproduced by a Lagos based online newspaper. “The head of Woro village in Kwara State, Umar Salihu, has said that terrorists attacked his community for nearly 10 hours before security forces arrived. Speaking during an interview on ARISE News, Salihu said distress calls to authorities were made shortly after the attack began about 5p.m., but soldiers only arrived the following morning. He also claimed that sensitive intelligence may have been compromised, as he had reported a threat letter to security agencies [days before].” According to him, by the time the military arrived, the attackers had already fled, and no engagement took place. “The military did not attack them. The bandits had gone when the military came,” he stated. He also said that there was “no air interdiction” during the attack. The plane did not engage them. They did not interdict. They did not drop any munition on them,” Salihu said. According to him, the community became vulnerable after soldiers previously stationed there were withdrawn following an earlier attack. “Initially, we had a military base there. We had about 15 soldiers there. About three to five months ago, they [gunmen] attacked the soldiers. Since then, they evacuated them. We have no security presence in that area. That gave them the opportunity to come anytime, enter anytime and do whatever they like.”
Now, let’s hear from the military. “The Defence Headquarters [DHQ] said troops were promptly despatched to “dominate” the general areas with robust patrols and surveillance among other security measures for about two weeks, as it expressed shock over the tragic loss of innocent lives in what it called cowardly terrorist attacks on Woro and neighbouring Kaiama. Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, gave a statement that said, “The Armed Forces of Nigeria commends the indomitable Nigerian spirit exhibited by various Nigerian communities that have been targeted by terrorists. This remarkable spirit was again exhibited by the resilient people of Woro and neighbouring communities who stood firm against violent coercion and refused to abandon their way of life and constitutional loyalty despite threats.
The AFN mourns with the families of those who have lost loved ones in these and other similar brutal attacks on defenceless citizens defending community values and freedom across Nigeria.
“It will be recalled that terrorists entered Woro village of Kaiama with a request to conduct a preaching and indoctrination session in the village which was outrightly rejected by the villagers. The military was informed and promptly troops were despatched to dominate the general areas with robust patrols and surveillance among other security measures for about two weeks. The cowardly terrorists, however, returned weeks after to kill innocent citizens in protest and in a bid to terrorise inhabitants and others.”
Who is telling the truth and who is lying? The answer is obvious, isn’t it? It is in the number of those killed: 174. Not a single attacker was felled. The killers must be celebrating their victory and planning their next attacks.
