Residents protest kidnapping, block Kaduna-Abuja highway

• Worshippers abducted in Zamfara

• Bandits burn health facility, houses in Katsina

 

From Yusha’u A. Ibrahim (Gusau), Mohammed I. Yaba (Kaduna) & Abdullahi Izma Yamadi (Katsina)

 

Many residents of Gonin Gora, Kakau Ward, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State blocked the Kaduna-Abuja highway following the killing of two local vigilantes and abduction of several residents by bandits in the area yesterday morning.

The protest led travelers stranded for hours.

It was gathered that the protesters pelted security agencies who teargassed them.

The bandits were said to have invaded 10 houses at Gonin Gora and kidnapped an unspecified number of residents late Wednesday night.

The assailants were also said to have burnt soldiers’ vehicles at Ligari village during a shootout as they (bandits) attempted to flee the community with the captives.

A community leader, Yusuf Sarki, gave the names of those killed as Shuaibu and Toma.

“Over 10 people were abducted and two of our vigilantes were killed: Shaibu and Toma. A soldier’s vehicle was set ablaze during the encounter; the bandits came in large numbers,” he said.

He said the invasion into the community was the third this year.

A member of the Joint Task Force, who pleaded anonymity, told Daily Trust that his team informed the security agencies when they got the information that the bandits were sighted on their motorcycles riding out of the bush.

He said local vigilantes needed weapons to engage bandits.

The state’s Overseeing Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, led security chiefs in the state to the scene of the protest.

He cautioned residents against taking laws into their hands, saying there was no justification for them to block the highway.

The commissioner said the security agencies were doing their best to tackle the insecurity in the state.

He the security agencies that responded to the distress call succeeded in rescuing some of the abducted residents Wednesday night.

 

Bandits attack mosque, abduct worshippers in Zamfara

Bandits, on Thursday, attacked a Juma’at mosque and abducted some worshippers at Kwarin Mai-Saje on the outskirt of Tsafe town, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The bandits launched the attack when residents were going to the mosque for the morning prayers and kidnapped the worshippers.

A resident said, “Actually, it was not an attack on the mosque. Rather, the bandits only abducted their victims on their way to the mosque. The bandits hid around the mosque and when the residents started going to the mosque, they abducted some of them. Some of the residents who noticed the bandits returned to their respective homes.

“However, we learnt that two of the abducted persons have escaped from the bandits and returned to the community. So, at present, only three people are still in captivity.

Another resident, Muhammad Yusuf, said security personnel were needed in the community.

He said the incident happened despite the presence of a military check-point near the scene of the attack.

He said despite the recent launch of the state-owned security personnel, Community Protection Guards (CPG), also known as Asakarawan Zamfara, the security situation was worsening in the state on a daily basis.

It was gathered that the army had deployed troops to the area to trail the abductors.

 

Bandits burn health facility in Katsina

Also in Katsina State, bandits were reported  to have attacked a health facility at Wurma village of Kurfi Local Government Area, burning an ambulance, two Hilux vans and three private vehicles.

The incident was said to have happened on Monday night.

Thirteen people were also said to have been abducted and several others wounded.

Three of the injured were rushed to a private hospital, among whom was Yunusa Bello, 85.

A resident, Muhammadu Amin Wurma, narrated: “The bandits came in large numbers riding motor cycles. When they arrived, they first attacked the staff quarters of Wurma health facility because mobile policemen stayed there. After chasing them away, they set it on fire.”

Bulama Bukar, a civilian JTF volunteer, said: “We were in Kurfi when a distress call came that bandits had attacked the community and we immediately rushed to the area and chased away the bandits. Most of us are hunters and we can face the bandits anywhere, anytime.”

The village Head of Wurma, Shehu Dandadi, appealed to the authorities to come to their aid. As of the time of filing this report, there was no statement on the incident from security agencies in the state.

Our correspondent sighted the chairman of Kurfi LGA, Mannir Wurma, commiserating with the residents on the attack.