Incessant attacks by different groups of terrorists on communities in Kachia Local Government area of Kaduna State have in recent times; deprived many local families of their male bread winners; thus forcing the local girls and women into prostitution to survive.
According to a local, farming which is the major occupation in the localities is no longer attractive because the terrorists often launch attacks on farms where they kill the innocent farmers or kidnap them for ransom.
Corroborating the story, the Adara youth leader of Kachia Local Government Area , Mr. Onamza John Danzaki has narrated the awful conditions Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were facing in the communities due to continued killings and kidnapping of the natives by blood thirsty gunmen.
According to Danzaki , most of the breadwinners are held hostage and others killed by terrorists, therefore, some of the surviving female members of the families have been forced into prostitution as the last option to cater for themselves since assistance was allegedly, not coming from the authorities.
Speaking when officials of Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) distributed relief materials on Friday to natives of 36 Adara communities in Kachia Local Government Area (LGA) who were recently displaced by armed herdsmen attacks, Danzaki explained that “when these attacks started forcing our people out of their villages, those who escaped to Kachia and had nowhere to stay, used the empty hostels of Government Day Secondary School, Kachia.”
“The Principal was kind enough to allow them into the unused hostels.
Let me be frank with you,some of our girls have been forced into prostitution just to get something for their families. Even some married women who have been pushed to the last, sleep around to provide food for their families.
“What else can the men do? Even menial jobs are hotly competed for. No place to go and farm. Nothing to do. Today, there are over 80 hostages with the invaders and they are demanding for huge amounts of money from us before they free them. They are mainly women and children.
And we cannot even feed. What have we done to deserve such neglect from the government of the day? The Fulani and Hausa that were living among us who also ran away after the attacks, went to L.E.A primary school, Unguwan Gabas,Kachia. They are less than 10% of our displaced people.”
“But sometimes in March this year, the principal of the school said that the Adara IDPs must vacate the hostels. He said he was called to Kaduna and ordered to inform us to leave the hostels with immediate effect. That has been the beginning of another round of trauma.
Even though government gave us nothing in the hostels, but at least we had kept our children while we struggle to return and stay together as a community.
“Today, some of us are staying in uncompleted buildings, or just move from one spot to the other at night. Some are squatting with relatives, some who have lost their jobs under this government and their situation is no less bad like the IDPs.
In fact, these materials you have brought today, they are equally qualified to share with us,” he said.
The National President of Adara Development Association (ADA), Mr Dio Maisamari, who is also the 1st Vice President of SOKAPU, gave hope to the IDPs, saying “ be strong and stand united. As evil and as bad as it is, one day, we shall conquer.”
President of SOKAPU, Hon. Jonathan Asake, told the about 10,000, IDPs that there are people who cared much about them.
He said “I am here with my team, to express our solidarity with you and to bring you good will from Governor Nyesom Wike of River State who came to Kaduna in April for campaigns and donated to the IDPs in the state.”
“I have followed the cruelty that you have had to face in the hands of marauding armed herdsmen and your subsequent displacements, which have also attracted the sympathy of Gov, Wike.”
“It is unacceptable that peaceful, harmless and unarmed people will be living their normal lives just to be attacked, killed, kidnapped and the communities taken over by armed herdsmen and no one is called to book.”
“But the world is watching this criminality against you and other affected communities of Southern Kaduna and by the grace of God, justice shall come one day.”
“The major reason where there is a government is for the protection of lives and property and where that is not in place, then the purpose of that government has failed.”
“I am therefore calling on the international community, all men and women of good will and conscience to intervene for these poor people and come to their.”
The relief materials valued at N12.8 millions, were handed to the leaders of the communities for onward distribution to the IDPs , such bags of rice, beans, maize, gari, noodles, pasta, food seasoning , salt,cartons of vegetable oil, bags of sugar, cartons of Vaseline ,soaps , children pampas, etc.
Mr. Markus Danja, Private Secretary to the late Agom Adara, Dr. Raphael Maiwada said that the entire Adara nation was grateful to Governor Wike for his kindness.
“God will bless and give the governor peace and progress for remembering us, because no one has shown so much regards to us. And we want to also thank SOKAPU for standing by us always.”
“I just want to add that we have been neglected by government as if we don’t exists. The IDPs are going through hell after escaping from their villages with nothing but what they are wearing. I am appealing to government and other good people to come to our assistance”. He said.
