By Bala Ajiya, Damaturu
The last week massacre of about 100 people by unidentified gunmen at a livestock market (Kasuwan Shanu) in Potiskum Local Government Area Yobe state still leaves some taste in the mouth of many people as some of the victims are still bedridden in the Potiskum  hospital.

When our correspondent  visited  the general hospital in Potiskum and spoke with  some of the victims who are on admission, one Mohammed Damboa a 45 year old cola nut seller who was hit by a stray bullet on the chest while in the market at Kasuwan Shanu speaking through his son  said that he  is a cola nut seller  and was hit on the chest by a stray bullet at about 5pm and this is unfortunate according to the son who is standing by his father at the hospital bed.

He said in an emotional laden voice that  he is only praying for the recovery of his father on good time. “I can’t say anything about  this tragedy”. He appealed to the federal government to come to their aid by providing essential drugs to the victims who cannot afford to buy drugs either in the hospital or at private clinics.

Another victim of the ugly incident, Mohammed Isah who spoke through his son Mohammed Mohammed was also receiving treatment at Potiskum hospital. He narrated that “at about 5:30pm, my father discovered that they were surrounded by gunmen and in a bid to escape,  he was shot at  the back and  my father was  rushed to the house before he was taken to the hospital.

So we need assistance from the state and federal government because the state government  did not  provide us with enough relief materials to augument our effort and it is unfair for the state government under the leadership of Governor Ibrahim Geidam to just neglect us without adequate care . No drug has been provided for us and there is no monetary assistant to enable us  to settle our medical bills in a hospital. We cannot go back to the market to continue with our legitimate business.

“All  shops have been burnt down and therefore, we cannot sell  our goods in the market anymore for fear of the same tragedy. People are scared to return  to the livestock market which is very unfortunate and my anger is that the state government is showing some laxity over the issue. The condition of some of us admitted in the hospital  is sympathetic and  is going to render us incapacitated and  we can’t  be able to take care of our domestic needs let alone buying drugs at private pharmacy.”

Another victim simply named Sama’ila said he lost all his livestock in the attack .

“ I brought my livestock to the market to sell around 10 am and  at exactly 5: 30 pm when the incident occurred and due to the pandemonium that followed, I lost all my livestock  worth N1 million. I lost what I laboured  for over the years in a day and that is really unfortunate but we call on the state government to assist us in settling our medical bills and what we lost in the market”.

Samaila  lamented that the masses are without protection and he implored  the state government to provide them adequate security in order to safe guard the lives and property of its citizens in the country.

Mean while, the senator representing Yobe zone B senatorial district Alh. Alkali Jajere commiserated with the victims in the hospital and called on the federal and state government to come to the rescue of the affected persons and provide them with enough security.

He equally admonished the federal government for not providing them with adequate security asking  President Jonathan Goodluck to resign from office for failing to protect the citizens. The senator donated cash and relief materials to the victims while he prayed  for their quick recovery .