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From John Adams Minna
Gunmen numbering well over 50 and suspected to be members of Boko Haram on Thursday invaded Bassa community in Shiroro Local Government area of Niger State, killing 20 people.
Ten of those killed, all young men, were beheaded by the gunmen.
It was gathered that the gunmen after beheading the victims, asked members of the community to carry the severed heads while they (gunmen) filmed the gory scene.
The suspected Boko Haram members who invaded the community in broad daylight were said to have gathered the people together from where 20 adults were selected and shot at close range.
Ten youths who our source said refused to be recruited by the Boko Haram into their fold, were beheaded as the people watched helplessly.
“They told us that anybody who refused to be recruited into their fold will be given a similar treatment. They said they used the ten beheaded youths as an example.
“They said they had warned us that everybody should vacate the community but that we refused,” a source told the reporter.
Two months ago, the Boko Haram sect had beheaded nine people in Allawa community in the same Shiroro Local Government area after they (Boko Haram) successfully dislodged the military from its camp in the community.
The nine victims were said to have defied warnings from the gunmen that no member of the community should come back after they had fled during the attack on the military camp in the community.
The deceased had gone to the community with their wives to get some food stuff when they were rounded up and beheaded.
Although there has been no statement from the state government or the state police command over this latest incident, the senator representing Niger East Senatorial district, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Musa described the gruesome murder of the 20 harmless villagers as barbaric, heartless and inhuman.
“This is my darkest moment as the representative of the people of Niger East Senatorial district. I am very helpless at the moment. My people, including men, women and children are being killed like animals.
“The question is, what do they want from the people? These are harmless and innocent peasant farmers. Do they want to chase my people away from their lands,” Sani Musa queried.
“Only three weeks ago, a group of bandits invaded Kuchi community, killing seven security agents. They went away with about 150 people. Up till this moment, the entire Kuchi community has remained deserted,” he added.
