By MOHAMMED TIJJANI

Three members of the Kaduna State Vigilance Service have been killed in an ambush by bandits in Chikun local government area of the state, the Commissioner, Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, said in a statement he issued on Wednesday in Kaduna.

He said the vigilantes, identfied as Alison Musa, Dauda Audu and Ishaya Sarki, were killed on Tuesday night when bandits ambushed them at Dande village on their way from Damba-Kasaya in Buruku general area. Two of their colleagues, Ayuba Tanko and Doza Adamu, however, sustained injuries in the attack.

“Governor Nasir El-Rufai has sent condolences to their families and prayed for the repose of their souls, while wishing those that sustained injuries speedy recovery”, the statement said.

Meanwhile, “the Governor has commended land and air troops of Operation Thunder Strike for a successful operation around Kuku area, at the Kagarko local government axis of Kaduna-Abuja Road”, saying that he received with gratitude, information that the first air strikes hit some of the target structures and neutralized some of the bandits.

He noted with appreciation the air support provided the ground troops by a Nigerian Airforce helicopter gunship as they advanced to Kagarko, via Kuku into the bandits’ enclave.

In another development, the commissioner has said that armed bandits on Tuesday opened fire on motorists close to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), but were repelled by troops. He appealed for vigilance and prompt reporting of any suspicious movements or activities to the security agencies.

The commissioner added that residents could provide information through the state security operations room phone numbers and e-mail address: 09034000060, 08170189999, internal.Security@kdsg.gov.ng. (NAN)

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