Terrorists once more murdered nine people yesterday in the Sabon Layi Community, Birnin Gwari Local Government Area, Kaduna State, including four neighborhood watchmen.
According to Vanguard’s checks, this puts the total number of individuals slain by bandits in the state since January to 125. 60 persons have also been kidnapped.
Locals reported seeing the terrorists wandering the targeted neighborhood on Tuesday, but no security personnel were present to shoo them away.
Many people were reported to have been abducted there by the militants, who also stole their cattle, according to a BBC Hausa report.
Military jets have since arrived in the neighborhood to avert additional attacks, according to the Kaduna State Ministry of Internal Security, which stated that it was still collating facts of the incident.
Meanwhile, terrorists who attacked a community in Birnin-Gwari were, yesterday, killed by military fighter jets, as they tried to escape.
State Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, in a statement, explained that “at 9:44am., the ministry received a distress call of armed bandits attacking Sabon Layi village, in Birnin Gwari LGA.
“It was confirmed that the bandits were shooting, rustling cattle, looting property and committing other heinous crimes, a situation which had residents scampering for safety.
“Immediately, the Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch was contacted for action, and the unit responded promptly to the location.
“On arrival at Sabon Layi, a thorough scan revealed normal human activities at the reported location. However, about four kilometres north of Sabon Layi village, the bandits were sighted fleeing for cover from the aircraft. They were engaged and neutralised in several passes.
“No further movement was observed after the strike. The aircraft sustained its presence overhead before withdrawing.
“While the government awaits a formal report on the initial attack in Sabon Layi village, Governor Nasir el-Rufai has praised the Air Component for the prompt action, and conveyed his gratitude for neutralising the fleeing bandits,” the statement added.
Kaduna State has been a hot-bed of killings and kidnapping by bandits of which no fewer than 101 including 12 security operatives and six vigilantes had been killed and 42 people kidnapped between January 1 and March 24, 2023, according to the National Security Tracker, NST.
Vanguard’s checks put the figures at 125 deaths, 82 kidnapped
The figures marked an improvement in a number of deaths and those abducted within the same period in 2022.
The figure excludes those killed or kidnapped between March 24 to April 11.
In the first three months of 2022, no fewer than 287 people were killed, and 356 people kidnapped in Kaduna State.
