Gunmen attack bike rider, chop off hand

In a shocking incident on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, gunmen attacked Sikiru Muritala, a 50-year-old bike rider, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and in their attempt to snatch his motorcycle, brutally chopped off his hand.

The incident occurred around 9 PM in the Saribi area of Akinyele Local Government.

Despite their attempts, the gunmen failed to snatch the bike.

Our correspondent visited Muritala on Thursday at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Muritala recounted his journey with determination and resilience.

He said: “I am a trailer mechanic, but when things turned upside down, I decided to go for Okada business.

“On that day, though, I normally picked passengers to that area. I went to drop a passenger.

“And as I was coming back, they attacked me with the intention of snatching the bike. (SIC)

“They spoke the language I didn’t understand. Unfortunately, they were unable to go with the bike.

“But they chopped off my hand. You can see for yourself.

“They chopped off my hand and collected my phone and all my money.

“We are spending a huge amount of money currently at the UCH.

“I need government assistance and well-to-do people in society to assist me. They should help me,” he pleaded.

Despite multiple attempts, the Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, was unavailable for comment at the time of publication, as his phone number could not be reached.

Gunmen attacks in Nigeria

Nasarawa State:

Unknown gunmen, suspected to be bandits, killed a member of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Taraba State: Gunmen assassinated the Gara of Chanchaji, HRH Alhaji Tanimu Kumbiya, and his son.

Abia State:

Four people including a police inspector, were killed in an attack by unknown gunmen in Nigeria’s southeastern state of Abia.

Anambra State:

Gunmen attacked a US convoy, killing four people, including two US consulate employees and two police officers.

Benue State Attack: On June 18, 2024, gunmen attacked three locations in Benue State, killing six people.

The attack occurred in Tor Donga in the Utange council ward, Gugu in the Michihe council ward, and another place in the Mbacher council ward.

Akpuuna Village Attack:

On July 9, 2023, gunmen attacked Akpuuna village in Benue State’s Ukum district, killing 24 villagers.

The attack was blamed on a “militia gang,” a common reference to armed groups in Nigeria’s hard-hit northwest and central regions.

Shell Facility Attack:

On August 18, 2021, gunmen attacked a convoy transporting workers to a Shell oil and gas project in Nigeria’s southeast, killing seven people.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but southeast Nigeria has seen a wave of deadly violence targeting security personnel and government facilities since the beginning of 2021.

Nasarawa State:

Unknown gunmen, suspected to be bandits, killed a member of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

These incidents highlight the security challenges faced in different regions of Nigeria.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook