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of the time of filing this reports, 40 students of College of
Agriculture, Gujba, Yobe State, were reportedly killed by Boko Haram in
the early hours of Sunday.The Medical Director, Damaturu Specialist Hospital, Dr Garba Fika, confirmed that 40 students of the college had been killed by gunmen in the early hours of Sunday.
Garba disclosed this when the Yobe State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, visited the hospital to inspect the wounded and the corpses of students deposited at the mortuary.
He said five students, including three with fractures, one with bullet wound and other with abdominal injury, were receiving treatment at the hospital.
The governor, who spoke in tears, urged security operatives to intensify aerial surveillance of the area.
The state deputy governor, Abubakar Aliyu; provost of the college, Mulima Mato and other dignitaries also shed tears at the mortuary when they saw the corpses of the students.
Meanwhile, as preparations were being made for the burial, parents were seen in groups, discussing the fate of their children in view of the serial attacks on schools in the state.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a parent, who requested anonymity, said “we are shocked, saddened and scared of sending our wards back to school with these ugly incidents of attack on schools in Damaturu, Mamudo and now Gujba.”
NAN recalled that schools in Yobe re-opened 13 days ago, after 10 weeks of forced closure, following attacks targeted on schools, which had resulted in the death of 29 students and three teachers.
I’m depressed —Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan, on Sunday, said he was depressed by the continuing attacks of Boko Haram on innocent people, the latest being the killing of students in Yobe State.
The president said he was short of what to tell the families of the victims.
“Today, you will agree with me that if you were in my shoes, you will lack words to say. We had this programme in mind, we all went to bed last night so that by this time as we are here today, we would all gather here to thank God for what he has done for this great country.
“But then, only few minutes after 12 midnight last night, about 21 students were murdered in Yobe State by a group that described themselves as Boko Haram.
“If you are wearing my shoes, what courage would you have to stand here before Nigerians? What message will you send to Nigerians, to the parents of these young people, our future leaders, students in College of Agriculture? Do you say that the killing of these students is political? I ask, why did they kill them? Did they kill students in Yobe because they do not like my face?
“Those students belong to which of the political parties? People killed them, they don’t even know them. Do you see it as ethnic cleansing? These students belong to which ethnic group in Nigeria? Do you say it is religious belief or what? These student, are they Christians or Muslims or what?
“This is the situation we face almost on a daily basis. It is quite depressing. But having listened to the CAN president, you will agree with me that all of us have hopes.
“By God’s grace, we will get to where we want to go as a nation. The journey of a nation is just like the journey of individuals. You must have obstacles. Sometimes, they say, it is even darker when you are getting to the dawn period of the day. The challenges we are seeing now are very transient. We will surely get over it.
“No Boko Haram or any group can frustrate this country. We may suffer pains just like our Lord Jesus Christ said at the critical moment, though the spirit is willing but the body is weak,” he said.
Citing the success in the telecommunications sector and the ongoing privatisation of the power sector, he assured that Nigeria had reached a turning point where it would soon join the modern society.
“So, the forces of evil will continue to push us backwards but our commitment and the will of God for us to move forward will surely suppress them,” he declared.
The president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, who presided over the service, noted that “Nigeria is in the hand of God,” adding that “no one has power over it, not even the Boko Haram.”
Among prominent personalities present at the service were Senate President, David Mark; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; former president, General Yakubu Gowon; head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih; Senator Hope Uzodinma, factional chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Jonah Jang; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim; Chief of Staff to the President, Mike Ogiadomhe; service chiefs, led by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Azubuike Ihejirika, ministers and a former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye.
It casts horrible image on Independence Day celebration —Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described as “senseless and tragic,” the murder of students in Gujba, saying “it casts a horrible image on the events making the 53rd Independence Day anniversary.
“As a father, I am deeply saddened by these senseless murders. These were young Nigerians studying agriculture with a goal of helping to feed our nation,” Atiku said.
“We must urgently review our strategy for confronting these cowards. The murder at the Gujba College of Agriculture are further proof that we need to rethink how we provide security for our nation,” he added.
Turning his attention to the Independence Day, Atiku said “grand intentions without vision meant nothing,” adding that “leaders must work with greater zeal and focus if democracy is expected to produce the envisaged impact on the lives of the people.”
Reviewing the state of affairs in the country under democratic order, he stated that leaders should not seek elective offices simply for the sake of power if they lacked the vision to push economic growth which, in turn, “creates employment and greater prosperity for the citizens.”
Killings meaningless —ACF
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) said reports of cruel killing of students by gunmen in Yobe was dastardly and aimless, because the students had not done anything that could possibly attract such gruesome acts.
ACF, in a statement on Sunday, signed by its national publicity secretary, Anthony Sani, therefore, called on the intelligence community and the security agents to brace up their operations.
“As to those who relish in violence, it bears repeating that there can be no way killing of innocent people and students can address their concerns, more so that all religions preach peace and love of neighbour.That is why it is often said few things are less pleasing to God than killing of innocent people in His name.
“ACF, therefore, believes time to lay down the arms and embrace peaceful means of resolving any perceived grievances and the ensuing conflict in the interest of core values of humanity is long overdue.
“Our hearts go to those who lost their wards to the dastardly acts, in the hope that God will provide them with the fortitude to bear the irreparable losses. May their souls rest in peace,” ACF said.
Northern govs seek end to attacks
The Northern States Governors’ Forum, on Sunday, urged security agencies to “take urgent steps to halt the senseless killing of defenceless citizens.”
Speaking through its chairman and governor of Niger State, Dr Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu, the forum, in a statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Danladi Ndayebo, also called for an end to “attacks on places of worship and educational facilities.”
The forum was reacting to the murder of students of Gujba and the killing of 15 persons in Zangang, a community in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
While commiserating with the families of the victims, the forum prayed God to grant eternal rest to the deceased, as well as quick recovery to those who sustained injuries.
It called on security agencies to intensify efforts at protecting the lives and property of citizens, and also ensure that those behind the violence in the region were apprehended and brought to justice.
Gaidam weeps, calls for steps to end killings
Governor Gaidam, on Sunday, appealed to the Federal Government and security chiefs to take urgent steps towards ending the frequent attacks and killings of innocent people in Borno and Yobe states.
He made the appeal while inspecting the remains of 40 students of the College of Agriculture, Gujba, deposited at the mortuary of Specialists Hospital, Damaturu.
The governor, who was in tears, described as highly alarming, the number of lives being lost to insurgents in the two states.
He said the activities of insurgents had become alarming and a challenge to governance in the region.
“We call on the president and all the security chiefs to intensify security operations through aerial surveillance, to contain the situation before it consumes the region and country.
“On our way from Maiduguri to Damaturu this afternoon (Sunday), we saw a trailer and bus that were burnt, with the occupants slaughtered and their corpses littering the highway.
“Government should rise up to its responsibilities to save the lives and properties of its citizens,” he pleaded.
The governor said anyone travelling on the Damaturu to Maiduguri highway was taking a huge risk, while he urged the newly established Seven Division of the Nigerian Army to intensify surveillance of all flash points in the two states and flush out the insurgents.
MEANWHILE, thirteen people were reportedly killed by gunmen in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, with nine of them said to have been burnt beyond recognition.
According to sources, gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen ambushed some communities in the council early Sunday morning and unleashed terror on the people.
Another version disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that some people from Agatu, who were going to neighbouring villages in Apa Local Government Area of the state were ambushed by gunmen suspected to be Fulanis.
As of the time of filing this report, villagers living at the border of both Apa and Agatu councils were said to have fled for fear of more attacks.
Confirming the report, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dan Ezeala, said 13 people were confirmed dead in the crisis, with nine of them burnt.
While stating that security operatives had been drafted to the scene to beef up security, the police spokesman said the police were on top of the situation.
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