Some bandits have reportedly attacked Ungwan Gajere, Brinin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing one person and kidnapping seven villagers. Among those abducted by the bandits were women. Our correspondent gathered that the bandits also carted away livestock. A source said they made away with about 50 cows during the raid which lasted several hours on Saturday. A source told our correspondent on Sunday that the bandits came in their large numbers on motorcycles – each carrying three bandits. “They shot indiscriminately when they arrived around 2 pm yesterday,” he said, adding that “three women and four men were kidnapped by the bandits.” Details of the attack were still sketchy as of the time of the filing of this report. Efforts to reach the Kaduna Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Jalige, proved abortive.

Two security operatives were reportedly killed, following an attack on Kundu community in Rafi LGA, Niger state. According to residents of the community, gunmen invaded the community on Saturday, but were repelled by a joint operation involving the military, police and local vigilantes. Some bandits were also said to have died in the attack. Confirming the incident on Sunday, Mary Noel-Berje, chief press secretary to the Niger governor, said “over 100 armed bandits” engaged the joint security operatives in a gun battle that lasted for over two hours. According to Noel-Berje, Abubakar Bello, Niger governor, commended the security operatives for their efforts. “Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has commended the joint security operatives stationed in Kundu village, under Rafi Local Government Area of the State, for repelling an attack by armed bandits which claimed the lives of an unspecified number of bandits and two security personnel,” she said. “Governor Sani Bello gave the commendation when he visited the security camp at Kundu Community to commiserate with the security personnel and to cheer them up, promising to review the security situation in the area to make it better. “Mr. Governor said he is impressed with the response by the security agents and promised to support family members of the slain personnel, pointing out that the state has enjoyed relative peace in recent times.” While addressing the security operatives, Bello said his administration will work to restore peace in the communities. “No place is 100 percent safe, but we will do whatever it takes to bring back relative peace. We are investing in security equipment and other logistics to help in the fight and to reduce casualty,” he said. There have been several attacks by gunmen across communities — including schools — in Niger state in recent times, which have led to abductions and killings. Over 100 children, who were recently abducted from the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina area of Rafi LGA, are still in captivity. However, while the abductors have demanded ransom for the children, Abubakar Alhassan, headmaster of the school, said 15 of the teachers kidnapped have escaped from captivity.

A leader of bandits in Zamfara State, Turji, has released villagers and travellers abducted by his men over the weekend, in a rampage to draw attention to his father’s arrest by security forces. Daily Trust had, on Saturday, exclusively reported the mass abduction by Turji which occurred some two weeks after the arrest of his father in Kazaure, Jigawa State. The father was said to have relocated to Jigawa State after he failed to dissuade his son from his criminal ways. He was arrested following a tip-off by an informant from a rival gang who told security forces that the father was trading in cattle stolen by the son’s gang. In attacks on villagers such as Kware, Kurya, Badarawa, Keta and Maberaya, gunmen abducted many residents and rustled a number of cattle. Informed sources told Daily Trust that Turji also received his father from mediators on Sunday afternoon. A source told Daily Trust that Turji agreed to release the abductees as part of a wider mediation process initiated by the federal government as an alternative resolution strategy to tackle rural banditry. “He released the villagers unconditionally because of the pleas by mediators who are bringing key bandits to the table with the government,” a security source who is part of the new process, said. In an audio clip obtained by Daily Trust, on Sunday, Turji was heard promising to release all the people and animals taken by his men once his father was brought back to him. “Let them give you my father. Once you brought him to Bayan Ruwa, I assure you every one of the abductees and all the animals in my custody will be released,” he told the caller who is a prominent community leader in Shinkafi.