No fewer than 4 policemen were killed on attacks on police formations by unknown gunmen and bandits in Ebonyi and Zamfara States, at the weekend.

Two policemen were killed during an attack on Ugbuodo Divisional Headquarters in Ebonyi Local Government Area, while another two were killed by bandits during an attack on Magami Police Station in Gusau Local Government of Zamfara State.

This is just as 44 persons were killed in attacks recorded in eight states between Friday and early hours of Sunday. 14 persons were also kidnapped in Kaduna State.

Bandits killed at least 21 in attacks on communities in Zamfara and another 12 in Niger. They also killed 3 in Sokoto around the same time.

21 deaths followed by Niger with 12. Plateau recorded five deaths; Sokoto three; Adamawa two while Ebonyi, Delta and Edo saw 1 death each.

Three suspected kidnappers were also lynched to death after a vigilante group stormed a market in Adamawa State following reports of the presence of kidnappers. The kidnappers were said to have resisted arrest and were lynched to death.

Bandits kill 3, sack 8 villages in Sokoto

Suspected bandits have killed three persons at Garin Zogo village in Sabon Birni Local Government of Sokoto State.

They also sacked eight villages in the local government area.

Confirming the attacks, the councillor representing the areas, Ibrahim Muhammad Saraki said Garin Zogo was attacked on Friday around 10:30 pm.

“They killed three persons and injured one. They also rustled animals, broke into many shops and carted away unascertained number of goods,” he said.

According to him, the marauders also attacked Nasarawa, Gidan Idi and Rambadawa villages on Saturday where they injured three persons and rustled animals.

He added that the gunmen further broke into homes of residents of the area and dispossessed them of their belongings, including Kayan jere.

“We are not living in peace in our communities any longer because the killing is taking place every day.

“As I am talking to you now our people no longer sleep in their homes. We spend the night in Sabon Birni town and return in the morning.

“And there are some villages that are completed deserted like Rambadawa, Garin Idi, Tudun Wada, Nasarawa, Tamindawa, Garin Ango, Tsaunar Dogo and Tashalawa,” he said.

He, however, appealed to the state government to come to their rescue.

The Special Adviser to the council’s chairman on Security, Lamiru Umar while corroborating this said, some of their people were currently taking refuge at Tsululu village in the Niger Republic.

The spokesman for the Sokoto Police Command, ASP Sunusi Abubakar could not be reached for comments.

…kill 2 cops 19 others in Zamfara

Suspected armed bandits shot dead two policemen in an attack on their formation in Magami community in Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Residents in the community, which is located 50km south of Gusau, the state capital, told Daily Trust that the armed men stormed the community on Saturday evening.

Also, 19 other residents were killed in Damaga and Dutsi village in Maradun and Zurmi Local Government Areas of the State.

Residents stated that farmers in Damaga village went for farmland clearance in preparation for this year’s cropping season when they were shot by the armed criminals who had earlier warned them not to go to farms.

The spokesman for the state police command, SP Muhammad Shehu said the policemen lost their lives while trying to repel the attack on Magami community by suspected armed bandits who came in their large number to attack residents.

He said the CP has deployed Tactical Units of the Police to the area to complement the operational capacity of the police in the area who are combing the bush in search of the perpetrators.

.…Killed 12 in Niger

Daily Trust gathered that armed bandits in search of foodstuff, attacked Mangoro and Kakihun villages in Mariga Local Government Area, shooting indiscriminately. But the swift mobilisation of security forces led to a fierce engagement with the bandits reportedly suffering heavy casualty.

“While on their escape route they invaded Kakihun village. However, twelve persons lost their lives, two Mobile policemen and twenty members of the community sustained bullet wounds at Mongoro village,” a source disclosed.

The bandits also kidnapped two villagers during the attacks.

5 herders killed, 59 cattle shoot in fresh Plateau attack

No fewer than three herders were killed while seven cattle were shot in separate attacks in villages of Jos South and Bassa Local Government Areas of Plateau State.

Our correspondent reports that the first two herders were killed in the Rantya area of Bassa on Saturday, while the other one was killed on Sunday in Kuru village of the same Jos South Local Government Area of the state. Five cattle were also shot during the incident.

This is coming three days after one herder was killed in Kuru village of Jos South LGA and another went missing in Maiyanga village of Bassa LGA of the state. At least 52 cattle were equally killed in the attack.

In the latest attack according to the Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Malam Nura Abdullahi, the two herders were shot dead when they were returning from rearing, at about 5:pm, on Saturday around Rantya area, while the other one was killed on Sunday while rearing in the Kuru area.

The chairman told Daily Trust that they had reported the Saturday’s incident to Rantya Police Division, adding that the corpses of the herders were evacuated for burial by the police from Rantya Division.

Malam Nura said, “Enough is enough of these incessant attacks on our members. We lost five herders in three days. There were all unarmed persons. They were going for their routine rearing when they were attacked and killed for no reason.

“As I am talking to you now, one is reportedly killed in Kuru village of Jos South. What do they want us to do? They have been killing us every day but we told our youth to calm down and never take the law into their hands. By the time they are pushed to the wall, the situation will be bad; we will not be able to control anybody anymore,” he said.

When contacted the spokesman for the state’s Police Command, Ubah Gabriel did not answer calls by our correspondent neither did he responded to an SMS sent to him.

3 suspected kidnappers lynched to death in Adamawa.

Three suspected kidnappers were lynched to death in Toungo Local Government Area of Adamawa State on Friday evening.

Two boys were killed by stray bullets during the incident.

Adamawa Spokesperson, DSP Suleiman Nguroje confirmed the incident to our reporter saying the event occurred around 5 pm.

Nguroje stated that a vigilante of Tabital Pulaaku Association went to Toungo LGA on a suspicious report they got that some syndicate of Kidnappers was seen in that area.

He explained that in the process of apprehending the kidnappers by the vigilantes, they resisted arrest and decided to accompany their own acts of violence which resulted in the killing of the three suspected Kidnappers.

“And in the process of apprehending them, they resisted the arrest and decided to attack or accompany their own action with violence which resulted in firings and 3 of the alleged kidnappers were shot dead by the vigilantes.” He stated.

He reiterated that it was after the attack that the police command was informed and the Commissioner, Olugbendga Adeyanju immediately gave directive to investigate the attack.

“As it is now, the command is investigating the circumstances that lead to the suspicious arrest and the circumstances that lead to the killings.”

As of filing this story, Nguroge said “they are expecting feedback from the officers drafted to conduct the investigation to give us an update in the next six hours.”

2 policemen, 1 assailant killed in Ebonyi

In Ebonyi, two policemen were killed during an attack on a police station, while one of the attackers was also felled down by police bullet.

1 killed in Edo, another in Delta

Unknown persons have also killed a security guard working on a company premises in Benin City, Edo State, while another person was reported dead after two men were shot at a gambling spot in Sapele, Delta State, at the weekend.

Bandits abduct 14 in Kaduna

Armed bandits on Sunday attacked Unguwan Kabulo community in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State and abducted 14 people, Daily Trust has gathered.

Residents told our correspondents that 17 people including women and children were earlier abducted but three escaped and returned to the community.

A resident of a nearby community who identified himself as Mohammadu told Daily Trust that the incident occurred around 1:30 am on Sunday when residents woke to the sound of gunshots in the community which he said is just a kilometre apart from Udawa town.

“They went away with 14 adults, women, and children from the house of a man called Shehu and his neighbour,” he said. He however said a security helicopter had been sighted in the area carrying out surveillance.

When contacted, the Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige asked for time to verify the attack but did not at the time of filing this report. (Adapted from Daily Trust)

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