Armed bandits suspected to be kidnappers have killed one person and abducted five others, including a primary school headteacher during two separate attacks in some villages in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The gunmen were reported to have attacked a filling station in Doka village along Funtua road at about 1:00 pm on Wednesday, shot one of the attendants to death, injured two others and took another two away.
Chairman of Birnin Gwari Vanguards, Ibrahim Nagwari in a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Thursday, identified the abducted Head Teacher as AbdulHafiz Abdullahi of Dangamji, Primary School.
He disclosed that the bandits also wounded three members of a local vigilante group.
However, Kaduna State Police Command was yet to confirm the incident as at the time of filing this report.
The Birnin Gwari Vanguard’s statement lamented the Birnin-Gwari-Funtua road has been deserted while the entire Eastern part of Birnin-Gwari neighbouring Zamfara and Katsina States has been surrounded by armed bandits attacking travellers and villagers almost on a daily basis.
They said many travellers were abducted in another attack on Polwaya and Gayam village at about 5:00 pm on Wednesday.
The statement reads: “Armed bandits have abducted, the Head Teacher of Dangamji, Primary School, AbdulHafiz Abdullahi and two others at Doka fuelling station, while two others were shot and seriously wounded.
“Earlier on Wednesday morning around 8.30 am heavily armed bandits, opened fire on vehicles around Polwaya and abduct a bread vendor, about Ten kilometres from BIRNIN-GWARI. Similarly, the armed bandits strike again on Wednesday near Gayam village, wounded three vigilantes and abduct people from vehicles.
“The notorious Unguwar Yako, Kwanan Mahaukaciya and indeed entire Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway have been overtaken by bandits terrorising and abducting innocent people especially women and children.
“In the last three weeks, armed bandits have launched a major onslaught against innocent civilians and motorists across the length and breadth of Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“On a daily basis, the armed bandits carry their nefarious act along BIRNIN-GWARI-Kaduna highway in broad daylight without any challenge from the security personnel that are stationed in BIRNIN-GWARI.
“The strategic Birnin-Gwari-Funtua road has been deserted, while the entire Eastern part of Birnin-Gwari neighbouring Zamfara and Katsina States is now surrounded by armed bandits.
“It is apparent to state categorically, that, Birnin-Gwari is once again under siege by bandits and the handful security personnel and state officials are paying leap service to the plight of general insecurity of lives and property.
“We have noticed with, dismay, the way and manner our people are subjected to horrified and traumatised situation by the armed bandits that prey on human beings every day on various communities, villages and settlements in Birnin-Gwari Local government area.
“While we appreciate previous efforts by the security personnel against armed banditry in Birnin-Gwari, we hope the government of Malam Nasiru El- Rufa’i, will not treat our people as prodigal sons.
“With the current tension, fear and inability of peasant farmers to go to their respective farms because of activities of bandits, we strongly call on the Federal government, Kaduna state government and the security agents to act decisively on the bandits and their collaborators before we are consumed by the bandits. Enough is enough.”
