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Tag: bandits

  • Bandits attack: Tambuwal warns against harassing, killing innocent Fulanis

    Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State on Friday cautioned local vigilantes against harrassment and killing of innocent Fulani over bandits attacks in the state.
    The governor gave the warning while commiserating with families of the 29 people killed by bandits in Kamitau, Malafaru and Ololi communities in Shinaka District of Goronyo Local Government Area.
    Tambuwal reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ending all forms of banditry across the state.
    He described bandits attacks on innocent people as wicked, but said it was no justification for local vigilantes and civilian JTF to also target innocent Fulani people.
    He assured that state government in collaboration with security agencies were making efforts to finding lasting solution to the menace.
    The governor prayed to Allah for forgiveness of the deceased persons and called on the bandits to drop their guns and embrace dialogue for the prevalence of peace and stability in the state.
    Tambuwal disclosed that a window of discussion had been opened with leaders of the bandits and assured that by the grace of God, lasting peace would prevail in the state.
    He expressed gratitude to district heads and other community leaders in the state for their sustained support to the government and urged them to remain calm as government was making efforts to stem the incident.
    Responding on behalf of the families of the deceased persons, the District Head of Goronyo, Alhaji Sambo Usman, thanked the governor for the condolence visit and prayed Allah to reward him abundantly.
    Usman told the governor that they had since embarked on public enlightenment on the importance of peaceful co-existence.
    The monarch urged various communities to intensify prayers for peace and stability in the state and country as a whole.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor was accompanied to the condolence visit by the state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Maniru Daniya and other government officials.
    NAN report that the incident occured on Thursday as hundred of bandits on motorcycles raided the communities firing guns indiscriminatly on residents.
    A source in the area told newsmen that the assailants arrived the villages at night, armed with sophisticated weapons and started shooting sporadically.
    He explained that they killed villagers and destroyed houses and other property.
    According to him, many people have fled their homes to seek refuge in nearby communities within Goronyo and Isa local government areas of the state.
    Earlier, Mr Muhammad Sadiq, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Sokoto state command, confirmed the incident but could no provide the casualty figure of and places affected.

  • Bandits commanders agree to suspend attacks in Zamfara

    Bandits commanders in Birnin-Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara, on Friday agreed to suspend attacks on the people at a dialogue meeting with the state government and security officials.
    The bandits also said that the coast is now clear for all those displaced by the attacks to return home.
    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agreement was reached at the palace of the Emir of Birnin-Magaji.
    Present at the meeting were the state Commissioner of Police, bandits commanders, leaders of Fulani, Civilian Joint Task Force and local vigilantes known as “Yansakai”.
    The meeting, chaired by Police Commissioner Usman Nagogo, was also attended by Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security Matters, Abubakar Dauran and National leaders of Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).
    The bandits’ commanders at the meeting were: Ardo Nashawari, Audu Karki and Muhammad Bello, while the leaders of civilian JTF and vigilantes were Malam Garba Nasarawa-Godal and Alhaji Shuaibu Aliyu.
    Speaking on behalf of the bandits, Nashawari, said with the suspension of the attacks, farmers were now free to return to their farms and other residents free to go about their normal businessess.
    Nashawari added, “We believe with this dialogue,the Fulani can now go to markets, they can move freely without any hitch.”
    The Civilian JTF leader, Alhaji Shuaibu Aliyu, urged the government to ensure immediate disarming of the bandits.
    “On behalf of the entire members of Civilian JTF and Vigilance Group Birnin-Magaji Local Government Area, we commend the state government for this dialogue, we abide by it,” he said.
    On his part, the commissioner of police described the meeting as “fruitful” and restated the commitment of the command to rid the state of banditry, kidnapping and other crimes.
    “We are impressed with the comments of the warring factions, both of them have accepted the dialogue”, Nagogo said.
    The National President of MACBAN, Alhaji Ardo Kiruwa, described the dialogue as “succeeding”, noting that most of the markets that were hitherto closed due to insecurity, have been opened.
    “We were told that the Fulani were seen in Shinkafi market yesterday”, he added.
    Kiruwa called on the Fulani to cooperate with government and security agencies in order to maintain peace and stability in the state.
    Also, Dauran, the special adviser on security, thanked the people of the state for their support and cooperation toward ensuring that the dialogue succeeded.
    He cautioned against politicising the state government’s efforts at tackling the security challenges in the state.
    “We are aware that some people are using politics to challenge the government’s efforts in this regard”, he noted.
    The Emir of Birnin-Magaji, Alhaji Hussaini Maude-Dan’Ali, thanked the state government for initiating the dialogue and urged all parties to adhere to all the agreements reached during the dialogue.
    “We are happy with the outcome of this meeting, we are going to continue to support government towards ensuring the success of this dialogue”, the emir said.

  • 10 feared dead, five injured as police, suspected bandits clash in Katsina

    10 feared dead, five injured as police, suspected bandits clash in Katsina

    A team of “Operation Puff Adder”, led by the Divisional Police Officer in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State, at the weekend engaged 300 suspected bandits in a gun duel.
    Ten persons were feared dead and five were injured. Five vehicles and four motorcycles were set ablaze.
    The suspects, who were on motorcycles, were armed with weapons.
    They had attacked Kirtawa village, but following a distress call by residents of neighbouring villages, the police raced to the scene and engaged them in a gun battle.
    Spokesman Gambo Isah said in a statement that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Safana initially led the teams of “Operations Puff Adder and Sharan-Daji” to the scene and engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel.
    He added: “The hoodlums shot the tyres of the Armoured Personnel Vehicle and injured one soldier and a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel.
    “At the time the combined ground forces were mobilized to the village, the hoodlums had escaped into the forest. Ten persons were feared dead and five were injured. Five vehicles and four motorcycles were set ablaze.”
    Isah said the hoodlums rustled cows, adding that investigations showed that it was a reprisal carried out by the criminals against the community.
    He said joint security forces have been deployed in the area to restore peace and arrest the fleeing hoodlums.
    “The command commiserates with the bereaved families and other Katsina State residents over the incident.
    “It assures the people that security forces are mapping out strategies to end banditry.”

  • Kidnapping: Zamfara initiates peace accord with bandits, secures release of another 26 captives

    Kidnapping: Zamfara initiates peace accord with bandits, secures release of another 26 captives

    Mr Usman Nagogo, the Commissioner of Police in Zamfara, has assured that another 26 captives would be released by bandits following a peace accord dialogue.
    Nagogo made this known on Monday while addressing newsmen in Gusau.
    He said the peace accord committee instituted by government had already succeeded in securing the freedom of 51 captives through negotiations from the areas of Dansadau, Kaura Namoda and Shinkafi in less than a week.
    “We have our contact committee that are discussing with the bandits and the reports we are receiving is encouraging; very soon the captives will regain their freedom,” he said.
    He said the next step for the dialogue after securing release of all the captives was to start disarmament and collection of all riffles and other sophisticated weapons from the hands of both local militants and bandits.
    He commended the National Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, who was about to bring two riffles surrendered by one person to the command, saying that his commitment to success of the dialogue deserved appreciation.
    He also expressed appreciation to the two warring parties for keeping to the peace accord and enjoined them to sustain the tempo.
    Nagogo equally urged newsmen to continue to report facts with unbiased mind and sense of professionalism.
     

  • Force commander issues 24-hour ultimatum to bandits in Zamfara

    The Force Commander, Operation Hadarin Daji, Maj.-Gen. Jide Ogunlade on Tuesday issued a 24-hour ultimatum to bandits in Zamfara state to either surrender or face “unprecedented fire-fight”.

    Ogunlade issued the warning at a news conference at the command headquarters of the force in Gusau.

    He noted with disappointment how the bandits refused to surrender and denounce their unacceptable ways in May when the state’s governor, Alh. Bello Matawalle offered to give amnesty to those, who surrendered.

    “It is disheartening that when the state governor offered them amnesty, within few hours we recorded 20 separate attacks on communities.

    “This showed that the criminals were not ready to surrender; that is why I am now giving them the next 24 hours.

    “The only option left for them is to immediately cease fire, drop their arms, and surrender or have themselves to blame,” he said.

    The force commander said that the bandits had always taken advantage of the cover offered by the terrain of the community whenever the operatives, who he said conducted themselves professionally chased them, but warned that “this time around we will go to their enclaves and hideouts where there will be collateral damage and neutralise them.

    “l want to assure the people of the state that banditry will very soon be history in Zamfara after this operation that will come up in the next 24 hours.

    “We will ensure that farmers carry out their farming activities and displaced villagers return home under conducive atmosphere.”

    He expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for establishing the operation and praised President Muhammadu Buhari for his support.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Operation Hadarin Daji, which is now focused on Zamfara alone was inaugurated on May 10, thus replacing the expanded Operation Sharan Daji.

  • Rampaging bandits abduct Zamfara community leader, three wives, children

    Rampaging bandits on Friday kidnapped the head of Yan Buki community in Kaura Namoda local Government Area of Zamfara State, Buhari Ammani, along with his three wives.

    The bandits also abducted the community leader’s children and six others.

    A resident of the area who spoke on condition of anonymity said the bandits struck at about 1.30 am on Friday.

    Chairman of the local government Alhaji Lawal Isa, also confirmed the raid.

    He put the number of the kidnapped at nine and said it was the first attack in the area by the gunmen who have been causing trouble in the state.

    Although the spokesman for the state police command, Muhammad Shehu also confirmed the attack, he debunked the number of people said to have been kidnapped.

    He said the matter was still being investigated and the police would make public the actual number of people kidnapped.

    More details later…

  • Bandits kill 62 in Niger, displace over 1000

    Armed bandits continued their attacks in Shiroro local government area of Niger state with the killing of 62 more people and displacing over 1000 people.

    The attack which began on Sunday has spread to eight more villages as the casualty figures continue to rise and displaced villagers are now staying in several IDP camps.

    A report made available to newsmen by the Senator representing Niger East Constituency, Senator David Umaru revealed that 19 people were killed in Kwaki village, 14 in Barden Dawaki village, 8 died in Ajatawyi village, 7 in Gwassa, 5 in Ajayin Bataro, 4 others in Bwailo, 3 in Baton village and 2 reported dead in Giji village.

    The Senator called for security agents, especially the military to be drafted to the affected areas to curtail the killing spree of the bandits who have continued their killings in a deliberate and fearless manner.

    “I appeal to President Buhari to order the military into the area to stop the bandits. I am also calling on the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 1 Div Nigeria Army Kaduna to deploy more personnel to save the villagers from the onslaught of the bandits”.

    Confirming the attacks and killings, the Police Public Relations Officer Muhammad Abubakar told newsmen that they only had 12 deaths on record but they have sent their officers to the villages to get the true state of the situation.

  • Banditry: Again, angry Katsina youths take corpses to Emir’s palace

    Banditry: Again, angry Katsina youths take corpses to Emir’s palace

    Angry youths from Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State, Saturday evening, stormed the Katsina Emir Palace with three bodies of victims killed at Zaka village.

    The three bodies, all from the same mother, were brought to the palace of the Emir, Alhaji Abdulmumin Kabir Usman and accompanied by the aged mother of the victims

    The palace spokesman, Mallam Iro Bindawa, told the youths and relatives of the victims, who came in two J5 buses, to return the bodies to their village for burial.

    Bindawa told the aggrieved protesters that the Emir sympathised with them over the incident and advised them to tell the district head of their village to forward an official letter to the palace on the incident, detailing circumstances surrounding it.

    He said: “His eminence has directed me to tell them that they should tell their district head to forward an official letter on the incident to the palace for onward dispatch to security operatives. The Emir sympathised with them and advised that the bodies be taken to the village for proper burial.”

    When contacted, Katsina State Police Command spokesman, Gambo Isah, a superintendent of police, confirmed the incident.

    According to him, the victims were attacked on their farmland in the morning, adding that the victims’ farms were close to one of the bases of the bandits.

    He said: “The victims are of the same mother. Actually, four of them were on the farm when the bandits attacked them but one of them managed to escape.”

    Only recently, aggrieved youths and relatives of banditry attacks from Batsari Local Government Area carried 14 bodies to both the Emir and to Governor Aminu Bello Masari at Government House, Katsina.

    The 14 bodies, which later increased to 18, were later buried after a mass funeral ceremony.

  • Tambuwal buries 25 persons killed in fresh bandits attack

    Tambuwal buries 25 persons killed in fresh bandits attack

    Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal on Sunday attended the funeral of 25 persons killed by bandits in a fresh attack which occurred on Saturday in three communities in Rabah local government area of the state.

    Tambuwal, together with heads of security agencies, traditional rulers and government officials later condoled the families of the victims after the burial held at Gandi town.

    The bandits who were in large numbers raided Kalhu, Tsage and Geeri villages near Gandi and killed the 25 persons.

    The attackers were said to have engaged in indiscriminate shooting from around 5pm on Saturday till Sunday morning, after which they carted away hundreds of cows, sheep and other valuables.

    Rabah has been experiencing bandits’ attacks in recent time, with people losing their lives while many others who were rendered homeless now taking refuge at an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Gandi.

    Tambuwal pledged that the government would take more measures “to end such uncivilized and barbaric attacks”, and urged community members to assist security agencies with useful information to track the bandits.

    Speaking to newsmen, Sokoto state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Kaoje, said four persons including a woman informant who pretended to be a lunatic were arrested.

    Kaoje said that a joint security operation was in progress to contain banditry and other crimes in the state.

    The state Chairman, IDPs’ Welfare Committee, Malam Lawal Maidoki said relief materials had been delivered to the victims.

    NAN reports that with the present 25 killed in the latest attack, the total number of persons killed by bandits in Sokoto state has risen to 108 from 2018 to date.

    Other places affected by armed bandits’ attacks were Dalijan, Rakkoni and Tabanni communities within the period.

  • Bandits strike again in Zamfara, kill 16 on Sallah day

    Bandits were said to have allegedly killed 16 persons in Kanoma District of Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara on Sallah day.

    Confirming the attack in a press statement in Gusau on Wednesday, the Director-General on Media to the state governor, Yusuf Idris, said “the governor visited the community and sympathised with them”.

    “During the visit, the governor also directed security agencies to immediately “swing” into action and bring the perpetrators to book.

    “The governor also directed the movement of 14 persons, who sustained injuries from gun shots from Kanoma General Hospital, to the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau, for better medical care.

    ”The bill should be charged to the state government,” he said.

    He then expressed the state governor’s resolve to join hands with well meaning individuals and groups in the state to bring an end to armed banditry in the state.

    He said the District Head of Kanoma, Yahaya Mohammed, had told the governor that the bandits invaded the area in the evening and fired gunshots sporadically, which led to the death of the 16 persons, with 14 injured.