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Tag: bandits

  • Bandits demand N60m ransom for 120 abducted Baptist students

    Bandits demand N60m ransom for 120 abducted Baptist students

    Abductors of 121 students of Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna have demanded a cumulative ransom of N60 million to free the remaining 120 abductees.

    The bandits said the ransom must be paid before the end of Monday, July 19, 2021.

    The bandits freed one of the students on medical condition.

    One of the parents told The Nation that the church and parents were already working round the clock to raise the ransom.

    He however expressed hope if the ransom demand is met on Monday the students would be released on Tuesday as promised by the bandits.

    He explained the bandits reduced the ransom to N500, 000 per student, making a total of N60 million.

    According to him: “Some amounts have been gathered but the church is trying to raise additional funds from members of the church and well-wishers to complete the money. We the parents have already been contributing to the pool.”

  • Bandits kill 13 police officers, injure seven in Zamfara

    Bandits kill 13 police officers, injure seven in Zamfara

    Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, on Sunday in Gusau, expressed shock at the killing of 13 police officers by suspected bandits.

    The police personnel were gunned down at a mobile camp in Kurar Mota community in the Bagudu Local Government Area of the state.

    The governor’s reaction is contained in a statement by Malam Yusuf Idris, Director-General, Media, Public Enlightenment and Communications, Government House, Gusau.

    The statement said Matawalle expressed “devastation“ when he visited seven injured police officers who were receiving treatment at the Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital, Gusau.

    “It was on receipt of the news of the unfortunate incident that the governor immediately rushed to the hospital to sympathise with those currently receiving treatment at the facility.

    “While lamenting the attack, Matawalle promised to partner with other security agencies in the state to track down the attackers and all their sponsors and collaborators with a view to bringing them to justice.

    “The police officers were ambushed at a mobile police camp set up as part of the measures taken by the government to fight bandits in the state.

    “Matawalle, who was highly devastated by the sad incident, said the troops are doing very well at the war front and had decimated the number of insurgents in the area,” the statement said.

    It said the governor would make the attack his major priority until the perpetrators are apprehended or a good level of success made towards their arrest.

    Meanwhile, the Zamfara Police Command had confirmed the killing of the 13 officers with seven others injured by the attackers.

    SP Mohammed Shehu, the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), gave the confirmation in a separate statement issued on Sunday.

    “The attack occurred on Sunday at about 1230hrs, when Police Mobile operatives deployed at Kurar Mota Village were responding to a distress call with regards to an attempt by the bandits to attack some nearby communities.

    “The police personnel, who ran into the ambush, exhibited resilience and gallantry by engaging the hoodlums, an effort that deterred the bandits from attacking the communities.

    “Unfortunately, 13 personnel paid the supreme price. However, the bandits on their part suffered heavy casualties,” Shehu said.

    According to the PPRO, the command had launched a manhunt aimed at apprehending the bandits.

    “The Zamfara State Police Command has reaffirmed its commitment and determination to sustain its ongoing operation against the activities of recalcitrant bandits and other criminal elements in the state.

    “A Special Anti-Banditry Operation is currently ongoing with a view to tracking down the assailants.

    “The Commissioner of Police, Hussaini Rabiu, while visiting the injured policemen at the hospital reaffirmed that the unfortunate incident will not discourage the officers and men of the command from discharging their mandate of protecting lives and property of citizens.

    “The Police Commissioner called on every law abiding citizen to join hands with security agencies to successfully end the menace,” the statement said.

  • Bandits kidnap 60, kill village head in fresh Zamfara attack

    Bandits kidnap 60, kill village head in fresh Zamfara attack

    Bandits abducted at least 60 people and killed one person in a raid of five villages in Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara on Friday night.

    The attackers rode on over 70 motorbikes into the villages and fired sporadically into the air, a police official and several residents said on Saturday.

    They killed a village head, a police official and council member for the area said.

    Reports said the village head died when a rocket was fired into his home.

    The attacks caused panic in the area.

    “The armed bandits rode on over 70 motorbikes and each motorbike was (carrying) three people with weapons destroying properties and abducting people,” Junaidu Badarawa, one of five people who were kidnapped but later released, said by phone.

    It was the second major attack by bandits.

    Early in July, bandits also struck in the state, killing 35 people.

  • BREAKING: Bandits set Emir of Kajuru free, hold other family members in captivity

    BREAKING: Bandits set Emir of Kajuru free, hold other family members in captivity

    The kidnapped Emir of Kajuru in Kajuru Local Government area of Kaduna State, Alhaji Alhassan Adamu, has been released by his abductors.

    One of the kingmakers of the Emirate Council, Dahiru Abubakar, confirmed the development to newsmen.

    The Emir was released on Monday afternoon, few hours after bandits demanded N200 million ransom for the monarch and 10 other family members kidnapped with him.

    Abubakar did not however say whether the N200 million ransom was paid or not before his release.

    It was gathered that only the 85- year- old second class Emir was released while the bandits are still holding on to other abductees.

  • Graphic Photos: Bandits kill 35 villagers in five Zamfara communities

    Graphic Photos: Bandits kill 35 villagers in five Zamfara communities

    Bandits have killed 35 persons after an assault on five communities of Faru district located in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

    Gudan-Baushi, Gidan-Adamu,Gudan-Maidawa, Tsauni, and Wari communities woke up to the marauders’ invasion in the late hours of Thursday morning on motorcycles numbering over 100.

    The state Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Shehu confirmed the incident. He however stated that efforts to reach the affected communities on time proved abortive due to the poor road network.

     

    The assailants were said to have shot sporadically at the unsuspecting residents while destroying houses and properties.

    “The police personnel tried their best to reach the affected communities on receiving the information that the bandits were there but unfortunately they could not reach the places because of the bad roads,” he said.

    He insisted the “police are currently working tirelessly” to bring the bandits to justice.

    Banditry and kidnap have become commonplace in Zamfara with the abduction of 317 female students from a government school in early February being amongst one of the growing cases of the menace.

    Angry youths armed with weapons recently staged a violent protest along the Gusau – Kaura Namoda Highway decrying the state of insecurity.

    Banditry and kidnap have become commonplace in Zamfara with the abduction of 317 female students from a government school in early February being amongst one of the growing cases of the menace.

    Angry youths armed with weapons staged a violent protest along the Gusau – Kaura Namoda Highway decrying the state of insecurity. and attacks that the people of the area have suffered at the hands of the bandits.

    Addressing a press conference on April 2, the Zamfara State Commissioner of Information, Ibrahim Dosara, revealed that no fewer than 2,619 people were killed in the state between 2011 and 2019.

    He added that bandits abducted 1,190 people from various parts of Zamfara in the last eight years, and over 100,000 people were displaced from their ancestral homes as a result of bandits’ activities, while 14,378 livestock were rustled within the period.

    Dosara noted that the Zamfara State government has spent the sum of N970 million on payment of ransom to bandits to secure the release of kidnapped victims since 2011.

    He lamented that there were more than 100 different camps and over 30,000 bandits operating across Zamfara and beyond, but the state governments would continue with its amnesty programme for bandits as part of measures to secure its people.

  • Days after mass school kidnap, bandits abduct 14 persons in another Kaduna community

    Days after mass school kidnap, bandits abduct 14 persons in another Kaduna community

    At least 14 people have been kidnapped following an attack by bandits at Ungwan Matari within the Sabon Tasha, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

    Among the victims were a landlord and some of his tenants.

    The bandits were said to have invaded the community which is adjoining Gbagyi villa towards Romi River at about 11pm on Wednesday night.

    Upon their arrival, the marauders started shooting sporadically, breaking fences and windows in a bid to gain access into the houses of the residents they kidnapped.

    This attack is coming barely three days after over 121 students of Bethel Baptist School also in Chikun local government area were abducted by bandits.

    Although police authorities are yet to confirm the latest incident, the immediate past Chairman of Chikun local government area, Samaila Leeman said a total of 14 members of the community were abducted by the kidnappers and taken away to an unknown destination.

    He said the bandits upon arriving in the community, started shooting to scare the residents before they later moved to some houses and kidnapped certain persons.

  • Bandits contact Bethel Baptist School management, say 125 kidnapped students doing fine in their custody

    Bandits contact Bethel Baptist School management, say 125 kidnapped students doing fine in their custody

    Bandits who invaded Bethel Baptist School in Kaduna State have established contact with the school management and also assured them that all the students are doing fine in their custody.

    This was revealed by the proprietor of the school, who is also the President of Kaduna Baptist Conference, Reverend Ishaya Jangado. According to Jangado, a total of 125 students were taken away by the bandits who attacked the school on Monday.

    He made the confirmation in a statement on Tuesday after a meeting with parents of the abducted students to discuss ways to rescue the students.

    Jangado said that the total number of students in the school hostel was 154, out of which 28 were recovered, while 125 of them are still in the custody of the bandits.

  • BREAKING: 26 students kidnapped from Bethel Baptist High School escape from bandits

    BREAKING: 26 students kidnapped from Bethel Baptist High School escape from bandits

    Twenty-six out of yet to be confirmed number of students kidnapped from Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna State have escaped from the hands of their bandits kidnappers.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter, Rev. John Hayab, who is also a member of the Baptist Church, made this known on Monday.

    Hayab said that as of Friday, there were 180 boarding students in the Bethel Baptist High School.

    He said that so far, 26 students had returned and that he was hopeful that more would escape from the bandits.

    TNG reports suspected bandits on Monday kidnapped an unspecified number of students of Bethel Baptist High School in Damishi town of Chikun Local Government Area in Kaduna State.

    The bandits invaded the school at about 2 a.m.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in Kaduna, ASP Mohammed Jalije, who confirmed the incident, said 17 of the students had earlier been rescued.

    He said that the exact number of students abducted by the bandits had yet to be ascertained, adding that details would be made public in due course.

  • BREAKING: Gunmen kidnap scores of students in Bethel School, Kaduna

    BREAKING: Gunmen kidnap scores of students in Bethel School, Kaduna

    Suspected bandits, on Monday morning, invaded Bethel Secondary School, Maramara Chickun Local Government Area of Kaduna State and kidnapped scores of students.

    Bethel Secondary School is a boarding school located at the outskirts of Kaduna.

    According to Mr. Daniel Muhuta, a security guard in the school, “I escaped narrowly. They came around 1.00am and started shooting. I was at the back of the school dormitory when I heard shooting and decided to pin down.”

    As of the time of filling this report, security personnel have cordoned off the area, even as parents and relatives of the kidnapped students gathered at the main entrance in a sorrowful mood.

     

    Details later…..

  • BREAKING: Bandits kill 7 kidnap victims in Kaduna

    BREAKING: Bandits kill 7 kidnap victims in Kaduna

    The Kaduna State Government on Sunday alleged that seven people were killed within three days by suspected bandits in Chikun, Kajuru and Giwa Local Government Areas of state.

    The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, made this known in a statement.

    The statement said that the sad development was reported by some security agencies to the state authorities on Saturday.

    According to the statement, the security report revealed that the bandits shot four victims of kidnap dead at the outskirts of Tsohon Gayan general area of Chikun.

    “Two of the victims were from Kakau village of the same LGA. The third was identified as being from Kachia town and the fourth remains yet unidentified,” it said.

    The statement also said that in Iri Station, Kajuru council area, two people were also shot-dead by a gang of bandits.

    “Also one person, a native of Tsohon Farakwai of Igabi LGA, was similarly killed by bandits at the outskirts of Galadima general area of Giwa LGA,” it added.

    The statement said Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna had already sent condolences to their families and prayed for the repose of their souls.

    It said that the security agencies had visited the Iri Station where some victims were killed.

    The statement also quoted the commissioner, who led government delegation to the communities, as saying the state was commitment to the security and peace of the general public.

    It also urged collaboration between communities and security agencies, adding that the collaboration was critical and must be cultivated in the interests of state security.