Federal lawmaker laments terrorists feeding abductees’ babies to dogs, and “many [people] are internally displaced, unrecognised by both the state and federal governments”
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
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“A pregnant woman was abducted. She gave birth to twins while she was in captivity. Then the leader of the bandits took the twins and threw them to his dog. The dog eat the twins one by one. Where are we?
“This is something that we need to rise up to. We need to speak to ourselves. I said earlier, whether it is micro or macro operation, so certainly something must be done.
“These are not just stories. These are the everyday realities of our people. Our people are no longer safe, they cannot farm, they cannot trade, and many are internally displaced, unrecognised by both the state and federal governments” – Jaji.
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Aminu Jaji, a member of the House of Representatives from Zamfara, has painted a grim picture of terrorist attacks, mass kidnappings, and general lawlessness that have left parts of his constituency devastated and residents displaced.
The impunity of the criminals is so great that they feed abductees’ babies born in captivity to their dogs, he lamented.
Jaji, who once chaired the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, said over 200 attacks have been recorded in his state in communities across Kaura Namoda Councils alone, including Dayo, Banga, Gabaki, Korea, and Madura.
“Just two days ago, 60 people were abducted in Banga. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of N30 million. Out of those abducted, 10 were killed, and the fate of the remaining 50 hangs in the balance,” he told journalists in Abuja.
Leaders often make lofty promises but little is done in practice, he lamented.
“We gave assurances that if our party [the All Progressives Congress, APC] came to power, insecurity would become history. Unfortunately, the reality today is different” with many communities turned into ghost towns due to persistent attacks.
Jaji described chilling incidents, including one where a pregnant woman gave birth to twin babies in captivity who were thrown to dogs by a terrorist leader, as well as how a boy with epilepsy was executed for falling in the presence of another terrorist.
“A pregnant woman was abducted. She gave birth to twins while she was in captivity. Then the leader of the bandits took the twins and threw them to his dog. The dog eat the twins one by one. Where are we?
“This is something that we need to rise up to. We need to speak to ourselves. I said earlier, whether it is micro or macro operation, so certainly something must be done.
“These are not just stories. These are the everyday realities of our people. Our people are no longer safe, they cannot farm, they cannot trade, and many are internally displaced, unrecognised by both the state and federal governments.”
Jaji criticised the lack of federal attention, noting that despite engaging the Ministry of Defence and other security stakeholders, there has been no significant response or action on the ground.
Zamfara, once one of the most peaceful states in the country, has become a hotspot for criminal activity. “Despite the introduction of Sharia and peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians in the past, we are now ravaged by violence,” he moaned.
Jaji said Zamfarans deserve the same protection and support as any other group of people in Nigeria, especially considering the contributions the state made to the election of President Bola Tinubu in 2023.
In his view, “This is not about politics anymore. It’s about human lives. The 1999 Constitution, as amended, states clearly that the protection of lives and property is the primary responsibility of government.”
He implored Tinubu and all stakeholders to act urgently, warning that if insecurity in Zamfara is left unchecked, it could spread further and consume the entire nation.
“People cry to us for help. They come in tears. They are not moving because they know where to go, they are moving because they have no other choice.”
He urged leaders across political and religious divides to come together for a holistic and unified response to insecurity, saying, “We must rise above politics. We must respond as people of faith and conscience. This is a national emergency.”
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