UNESCO: Sukur Kingdom was destroyed by Boko Haram- Official

The director general of the Adamawa state Museum and Monuments Commission, Alhaji Saidu Audu, has confirmed that the first United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in Nigeria, ‘Sukur World Cultural Heritage’ in Madagali local government area of the state, was destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in 2014.

Audu told newsmen in Yola that the Sukur cultural landscape is located on Mandara mountains in Madagali local government area of the state along Nigeria/Cameroon border.

He said that the Sukur site was hilltop settlement and about 290 km from Yola, the state capital and It stood at an elevation of 1,045 meter above sea level.

He explained that Sukur cultural heritage was an ancient settlement with a recorded history of ancient iron smelting technology dating back to the 16th century.

The site, according to Audu, was National Monument as determined by the Joint Instrument of federal government’s act No. 77 of 1979 and act cap.242 of 2000.

Audu said that the site was attacked and burnt in September 2014 when Boko Haram invaded Madagali LGA.

“Sukur, ancient Iron smelting heritage, is the first Nigerian landmark to be listed on the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO at one of its international conferences held in Marekkesh, Morocco in 1999 while Osogbo Grove in Osun made the second list later in 2005 by the UNESCO.

He listed Four modern research and international conference centers and VIP accommodations and others as among structures at the site destroyed completely by Boko Haram.

He noted that as part of the state government’s commitment about N65 million naira was earmarked for upgrading and expansion of the site in 2012.

According to the Director General, state government was making effort in collaboration with the federal government to reconstruct the site.

” Our doors are open for support from National and International Cultural and heritages organizations to rebuild the site” Audu added.

Confirming the development, Alhaji Yusuf Muhammed, Chairman, Madagali LGA, said that the site was the first international tourist centre in Nigeria.

Muhammed said that the site was now shut down since the attack in September 2014 adding that despite the insecurity challenges, the Sukur annual cultural Festival was carried out in February 2017 in the area.

He regretted that before the advent of Boko Haram, the site was considered the biggest international tourism centre in Nigeria and Africa’s first cultural landscape.

Muhammed explained that before, insurgent attacks, significant number of international figures, such as European, Asian and America diplomats in Nigeria and other international tourists, visit the site on daily basis.

According to the chairman, the site is once centre where researchers in and outside Nigeria trooped into the site for their research activities.

“Government and the inhabitants used to generate a lot of money from the tourists and other visitors.” Muhammed said.

Muhammed worried that, during the attacks many inhabitants of the area who were the custodian of the site were killed by insurgents while several houses were touched.

He appealed to relevant national and international donors to join hands with the government to re-develop the site and rescue it from collapse.