Tag: Banditry

Bandits kidnap 20 women attending a naming ceremony in Katsina

Aminu Imam

No fewer than 20 women have been kidnapped by armed bandits while attending a naming ceremony at Gidan Bido village of Dandume Local Government Area of Katsina State. According to reports, the incident occurred on Friday, around 1 pm. It was gathered that another group of bandits attacked and also kidnapped five men at Unguwar Bawa village, of Dandume LGA in the State, in the early morning hours of Saturday. Recall that in March, gunmen suspected to be bandits reportedly stormed two communities, namely Katsalle and Unguwar-Tukur in Sabuwa local…

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Bandits abduct 77 in Kajuru LGA

Aminu Imam

…As three abducted students of Greenfield Varsity found dead Gunmen suspected to be bandits have reportedly abducted 77 people at Libere village in Kajuru local government area of Kaduna State. According to reports, the incident occurred on Wednesday. The report said the village head of neighbouring Kalla, Aminu Na’Iri, confirmed the report. He said eight members of a family, including the wife and children were among those abducted. Libere is said to be located around a thick forest across River Kaduna from Kasuwan Magani Kalla village, which makes it difficult…

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‘Politicians behind banditry to run down Buhari’s govt’ — Uzodinma

Aminu Imam

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, has accused politicians of funding banditry to run down the government led by President Muhammadu Buhari. Uzodinma made the allegation while briefing reporters shortly after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Uzodinma condemned the recent attacks by armed bandits on communities, especially in the northern part of the country and challenged the security agencies to urgently reveal the names of their sponsors. “This country is blessed by God. From 2015 to date, I…

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“Killing bandits only way to make schools safe” – El-Rufa’i

Aminu Imam

…Says governors are unanimous on ‘wiping them out’ Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufa’i, has said the only way to make schools safe is to kill all bandits and bombing the forests they are camping. The governor, who stated this yesterday in Abuja, at a conference on ‘Financing Safe Schools in Nigeria‘, stated that his colleagues are in agreement that bandits must be completely “wiped out”. Although some northern governors, particularly Bello Mattawalle, of Zamfara State, have advocated for dialogue with bandits, el-Rufa’i insists that they are all on the same…

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Zamfara: Matawalle suspends district head for conferring title on soldier aiding bandits

Aminu Imam

…As State govt. arrest 7 security personnel The Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, has suspended the district head of Badarawa, in Shinkafi Emirate Council of the State, Surajo NaMakkah. This was disclosed by the governor’s Director-General on Media, Yusuf Idris, via a statement released yesterday. According to reports, the district head was suspended indefinitely by the governor for conferring the traditional title of Durumbu on a military officer who was arrested for allegedly selling ammunition to bandits in the State. The military officer, who was recently arrested in possession of…

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Katsina: Villagers kill 30 bandits after luring them into a trap

Aminu Imam

Residents and local vigilantes of a village in Katsina have killed 30 suspected bandits after luring them into an ambush where the gunmen were killed. It was gathered that the incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, in the village of Majifa village, in Kankara local government area of Katsina State. Although details surrounding the incident were sketchy as at the time of filing this report, it was learnt that the villagers laid an ambush for the gunmen. According to a resident, “Resident of the village received the information…

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Zamfara drivers on strike to protest highway abductions, robberies

Aminu Imam

Commercial drivers plying the 100-kilometre Gusau-Dansadau road in Zamfara State have gone on strike to protest incessant kidnappings and armed robbery along the road. Dansadau, a community about 100 kilometers from Gusau, the State capital, is one of the hubs of banditry in the State due to its vast forest that has provided cover for the criminals. The chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW), in Dansadau, Isihu Ticha, told newsmen that the strike was to draw the attention of authorities to their plight. The highway stayed…

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Police rescue 15 abducted persons in Kaduna

Aminu Imam

The Kaduna State Police Command has rescued 15 kidnapped persons and recovered 32 cows. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, stated this in a statement yesterday, in Kaduna. Jalige said that gunmen, suspected to be bandits, on April 9, blocked Buruku/Birnin-Gwari road, around Unguwan-Yako forest, in an attempt to kidnap occupants of two Volkswagen salon cars. “A swift response by the operatives of the Command forced the marauding bandits to retreat and flee into the forest with bullet wounds, abandoning their victims. The operatives however, searched the entire…

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“I’ll never pay ransom to bandits even if they kidnap my family members” – el-Rufa’i vows

Aminu Imam

Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufa’i, has said he will never pay ransom to bandits even if they kidnap his family members. The governor said this in a radio chat on Friday in Kaduna to corroborate his government’s policy of not negotiating with bandits. Mr El-Rufai had said bandits are at war with Nigeria and there is no other way to approach the current insurgency but for security forces to take the war to the bandits and recover forests where they are occupying. In his remarks yesterday, el-Rufa’i said he had…

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Insecurity: 4 bandits’ leaders in Katsina surrender, give up machine guns

Aminu Imam

Four bandits’ leaders yesterday said they have denounced their illegal activities in Katsina State and surrendered 45 rustled cattle, two General Purpose machine guns, 24 AK-47 assault rifles, 109 GMPG ammunition, 95 7.62MM live ammunition, among others. The four bandits’ leaders were identified as Sale Turwa, Mani Turwa, Ado Sarki, and Sani Mai-Daji and were reportedly residing in the thick forest of Illela in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State. The State Commissioner of Police, CP Sanusi Buba, disclosed this in a press conference held at the Command’s headquarters…

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