1,192 persons killed, 3,348 kidnapped by bandits in Kaduna last year–Govt

. 891 others injured

Terrorists kidnap over38 people in fresh Katsina attack

Bandits killed 1,192 persons and kidnapped 3,348 others in Kaduna State in 2021, a security report released on Tuesday has said.

The security report presented to Governor Nasir el-Rufai in Kaduna also said that 891 persons sustained various forms of injury in bandits attacks that took place across the state within the same year.

The report was presented to the governor by the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan,

According to the report, those killed were 50 children , 1,038 men and 104 women.

Kaduna Central senatorial zone recorded the highest number of 720 deaths, followed by Kaduna South, 406 and 66 in Kaduna North.

Out of 3,340 kidnapped victims, 340 were children 2,023 were men while 985 were women.

A further breakdown of the figure showed that 2, 771 were kidnapped from Kaduna Central zone, 397 citizens were kidnapped from the Southern senatorial zone and 180 from the Kaduna North zone.

About 544 residents of Kaduna Central zone sustained injury in 2021, while Kaduna South zone recorded 253 and Kaduna North zone recorded 94.

It said that 13,788 cows were rustled across the state within the 12 months covered by the report.

According to Aruwan, 10,261 cows were stolen in Kaduna Central zone, 1,941 and 1,586 cows were rustled in the Southern and Northern senatorial zones respectively.

The figures in the report when compared with 2020 statistics showed that there was an increase in the number of deaths from 937 in 2020 to 1,192 in 2021.

Also, the number of people kidnapped rose from 1,972 in 2020 to 3,348 in 2021.

While 7,935 cows were stolen in 2020 , 13,788 cows were rustled in 2021.

Aruwan also said that there is a growing threat of food insecurity in the state as farmers found it difficult to access their farms for key farming activities, having been kidnapped or for fear of being abducted.

He said that many farmers were also killed, by bandits who also extort taxes from them before they could access their farms.

He said that Birnin Gwari, Igabi, Giwa, Zaria, Chikun, Kauru, Kajuru, Kachia, Kagarko, Zangon Kataf, Jema’a and Sanga local governments were the most affected.

The report indicated that 182 cases of farm destruction either by cattle under the watch of itinerant herders or herds rustled by bandits which destroy farms during escape, especially in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Chikun, Kajuru, Jema’a, Kaura, Kauru and Zangon Kataf local government areas.

Aruwan then lamented the growing interaction between the bandits in the state and terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Ansaru which he said does not augur well for the state.

Meawhile, dzens of people are said to have been abducted by terrorists in a fresh attack on Ruwan Godiya village in the Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, SP Gambo Isah who confirmed the incident  on Tuesday  did not however give a figure of those kidnapped during the incident.

According to anonymous sources, the terrorists stormed the village on over 60 motorcycles on Sunday night, armed with sophisticated weapons, and started shooting sporadically into the air despite the presence of military personnel in the village.

A community leader in the village, Mohammed Murtala also confirmed the incident to Channels Television.

But contrary to claims that at least 50 persons were kidnapped, Murtala said 38 persons were kidnapped during the attack.

This comes a day after over 12 persons were killed after a group of gunmen attacked repentant bandits in Illela village, Safana Local Government Area of the state.

Residents who fled the village to the neighboring communities including Dutsin-ma and Ƙankara told newsmen on Monday that the gunmen attacked them in the early hours of Friday.

According to the residents, the gunmen came on a mission to attack a repentant bandit popularly known as Mani Turwa, who was said to be protecting the community.