Ibe Pascal Arogorn
Bandits have killed over eleven people in Kaduna and Taraba states in the early days of 2022.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari in his new year message promised to continue the fight against banditry and insurgency in 2022.
IN KADUNA
No fewer than seven people have been killed in separate attacks by gunmen on villages in three local government areas of Kaduna State.
The affected local governments are Igabi, Chikun and Zango Kataf.
Confirming the incident to Channels Television via a statement on Sunday, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said four people were killed, and one injured during an attack by gunmen in Kerawa village of Igabi Local Government.
He said report by security agencies indicated that the bandits attacked the village, shooting sporadically, and in the process killed four residents.
According to the Commissioner, one other person was left injured, while the gunmen carted away some motorcycles and food supplies from the community.
This is even as two people were killed by gunmen in two attacks in Igabi and Chikun local government areas.
The gunmen were said to have invaded Sabon Garin Ungwar Dalha, a village in the outskirts of the Maraban Jos area of Igabi Local Government Area, and later broke into some homes, shooting into the air.
It was gathered that a woman was caught by their gunfire and died instantly.
Similarly, gunmen attacked Ungwan Zallah in Udawa of Chikun local, and shot one man to death.
In another incident, they attacked commuters along the Ungwan Rimi-Afana road in Zangon Kataf Local Government, killing one person in the process.
According to Aruwan, the victim sustained gunshot wounds to the chest, and was rushed to hospital, where he was unfortunately confirmed dead.
Meanwhile, Governor Nasir El-Rufai said he has received the reports of the killings with deep sadness.
He conveyed his sincere condolences to the families of the citizens who were killed in the attacks across the local government areas and wished the injured person a speedy recovery, even as he commiserated with the attacked communities.
IN TARABA
Bandits have killed a farmer, Irimiya Musa, and five other people in Jauro Manu village, Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Daily Trust gathered the gunmen, five in number, stormed the house of the large scale farmer at about 4.30pm Saturday.
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The gunmen, each on a motorcycle, shot him in front of his house before shooting the five others who were playing cards at the same place.
It was further gathered that Musa and four others died on the spot while the sixth person, identified as Haruna, died at the Federal Medical Center where he was taken to for treatment.
A source in the village told Daily Trust that the gunmen had attacked the house of the farmer on the 10th of September, 2021 but were repelled by the villagers who mobilized and confronted the gunmen.
The source further stated that one of the attackers at that time was killed and later identified as a herdsman residing with his parents at a Fulani settlement near the village.
He said the village had not been attacked since then until last Saturday, adding that there is confusion in the area as fear has griped the residents.
When contacted, the police spokesperson of the Taraba Police Command, DSP Usman Abdullahi, said the DPO in Mutum Biyu headquarters of Gassol Local Government Area was yet to report the incident to the command.
TWO BANDITS KINGPINS , OTHERS KILLED IN ZAMFARA
The Nigerian Air Force has killed two notorious bandit leaders, Alhaji Auta, and Kachalla Ruga following an air raid of a forest in Zamfara State.
Sources revealed that the notorious bandit leaders were killed after a NAF aircraft, under Operation Hadarin Daji, acted on credible intelligence, and bombarded their enclaves at Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji local government area of the state last Friday night.
According to the sources, multiple airstrikes by the NAF jet, which were carried out in the early hours of Saturday have also led to the death of several other bandits.
Another source told Channels TV that some bandits were also killed by the military jet when they went to retrieve the body of the bandits’ leader Alhaji Auta from the scene of bombardment.
Residents believe that if this level of action is sustained and other local political actors key into working for peace, Zamfara State and the entire northwest region will be restored to the “peaceful region” it once used to be.
