Comfort Msurshima Tarvihi, a victim of suspected armed herdsmen attacks in Kadarko, Nasarawa State. A mother of six who hails from the Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State and married to her late husband who is from the Mbagbera District of Vandeikya LGA.....CONTINUE READING
She sojourned with her husband to Kadarko years ago where the husband was killed by the invading armed herdsmen about nine years ago. In this interview, she narrated the ordeal that led to the death of her husband. CEPHAS IORHEMEN reports:
Can you tell us your ordeal that led to the killing of your husband by suspected Fulani bandits?
Thank you so much. On the 16th of April 2014, my husband woke up and told me that he wanted to go to the farm. While he was working on the farm, some armed suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked him and shot him dead.
I was not on the farm with him, I was at home preparing food for him. So the people who heard about it rushed back home and told me about what happened. After some time, we took his corpse for burial in Vandeikya LGA.
Where were you staying when this happened?
We were staying at Gidan Sule at Kadarko in Nasarawa State, and up till now we have been living there.
What happened after the burial of your husband?
After my husband was buried, I went back to Kadarko with my children and on October 8, 2022, the insurgents made another incursion into the area. This time around, they destroyed crops after a heavy shooting that lasted for hours, so we parked our belongings out of the area and came here hours later when the invaders killed eight other farmers and left unchallenged.
On the 20th of December 2022, I went back to the farm again to get some food to feed my children. So they attacked us on the farm and shot me on my hand, shot my son and macheted him on the head. They also chased the other little boy who was staying with me and shot him dead.
Where were you taken to for treatment?
We were immediately rushed to the Saint Theresa’s Hospital in Makurdi, in Benue State for treatment and discharged after treatment was successfully completed.
Because of the rampant attacks and killings, I have decided to take all my six children back to their father’s house in Vandeikya but I am still in Kadarko farming and do visit them regularly to give them food and see how they are doing.
So what are you doing there in Kadarko at the moment?
I am still farming, I don’t have any other thing to do now.
Have you received any support from the Nasarawa State government since you survived these attacks?
I have not received any single support from the Nasarawa State government. It was our hard-earned money that we used to treat ourselves. Even as I speak with you, we have not received any support from anyone.
Are your children going to school?
Of the six children I have, only two of them are in school, the other four are out of school due to lack of support and money to take care of their educational needs. Even the one that survived gunshot injuries, is not in school. He wants to go to school but I don’t have the money now, I am hopeful that when I get the money, he will continue with his school.
The eldest one is now in Lagos State doing some menial jobs after he survived the attacks. Three are with me and the other at the village.
So what do you want the government to do for you or any philanthropist?
Well, if they can help me with money I will engage in good business to help train my children to become future leaders of this country.
If either the Nasarawa or Benue State government deem it fit to come and rescue my family from this terrible situation, I will be exceedingly happy. Infact, some of my children who are not with me too, I will bring them closer to me, train them also.
