ABOUT 1,266 persons were killed by bandits in Kaduna State in the last 15 months, according to records released by the state government.
Also, 746 persons were kidnapped in the state between January and March 2023.
Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, released the figures on Wednesday, April 19, at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna.
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According to Aruwan, 1,052 deaths were recorded as a result of banditry and other attacks in the state in 2022, while another 214 persons were killed in similar incidents between January and March 2023.
“Between January to December 2022, 641 deaths were recorded in Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone, while 349 deaths were recorded in Southern Kaduna Senatorial Zone and 62 deaths in the Northern Senatorial Zone bringing the total to 1,052 deaths as a result of banditry and other attacks.
“214 persons were killed between January and March 2023 in attacks by bandits/terrorists, communal clashes, violent attacks, and reprisals.”
Giving a breakdown of cases of kidnapping in the state in 2023, Aruwan said, “A total of 746 people were kidnapped in the first quarter, with Kaduna Central Senatorial District accounting for 492 deaths, Southern Kaduna Senatorial District recorded 221 kidnapped persons, and the Northern Senatorial District recorded 33 kidnapped persons.
Photo Credit: Pulse
“A total of 746 people were kidnapped in the first quarter, with Kaduna Central Senatorial District accounting for 492 (about 66% of the total). All of these occurred in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Chikun and Kajuru LGAs. One hundred and thirty-seven people were kidnapped from Birnin Gwari LGA and 131 from Igabi LGA. Giwa LGA recorded 100 kidnapped persons, Chikun LGA 83, and Kajuru LGA 41.
“Twelve persons were reported to have been raped by bandits across the state from January to March this year. Ten (10) of these were minors.”
However, he added that although there were many more unreported cases of rape by armed bandits, only reported cases were highlighted in the security report.
Speaking on cases of cattle rustling during the period under review, the commissioner noted that a total of 3,247 animals were rustled in the state in the first quarter of 2023, with 2,353 stolen from the Kaduna Central Senatorial District, accounting for around 73 per cent of the total number.
Among the local government areas in the state, Kajuru had the highest figure of rustled animals in the first quarter, with 1,000, he noted.
Speaking during the presentation, the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, warned that bandits would use the time of transition to carry out gruesome crimes across the nation.
The governor urged security agencies to step up operations against bandits throughout the remaining months of the current administration and beyond.
El Rufai observed that the reports on the security situation in the state provided detailed data on the enormity of the challenge.
“Just as they have a right to updates on the progress in investments, revenue generation and other happy events, citizens have legitimate expectations to be provided with consistently accurate accounts of what is going on and on measures being taken to address security challenges.
“The two reports just presented by Samuel Aruwan, our Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, indicate the persistence of security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, and the unfortunate toll in killings, kidnappings, injuries and threats to the livelihoods of our people.
“We regret the pain and losses, pray for the repose of the souls of those killed, pay tribute to the victims of various crimes and reiterate our solidarity with them,” he said.
El-Rufai said the statistics presented showed that there has been some slight improvement in fatalities and other incidences of criminality across the state between 2021 and 2022.
“The Kaduna State Government does its level best to prevent these sad events through institutional measures and pragmatic actions on the ground.
“These measures include persistent pressures on the Federal Government to launch comprehensive and sustained military operations against the terrorists and criminal elements that are menacing our people and their lives, liberty and livelihoods.”
He thanked the Federal Government for finally authorising the launch of combined military and police offensives against bandits and also commended the military and security forces for their efforts and sacrifices in the fight against insecurity.
The governor said the state government will continue to do everything within it’s powers to enhance security.
There have been an upsurge in attacks by suspected terrorists and bandits in Kaduna and across the country after the general elections.
In April, bandits attacked the Atak’Njei hamlet in Kaduna State’s Zango Kataf Local Government Area, killing at least eight people.
The attack occurred a few weeks after a similar tragedy in the same local government area’s Langson village that took eleven lives.
The President of Atyap Community Development Association, Sam Timbuwak, told Channels Television that the gunmen invaded the neighbourhood on Wednesday, April 12 at around 9:00 pm and began firing intermittently at residents’ homes.
The ICIR also reported the killing of about 28 residents in Kaduna on December 18, 2022.
In the December 18, 2022 attack, the bandits also razed houses at Malagum and Kagoro communities in the Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
An inter-denominational burial service was held for the victims of the attack on Thursday, December 22.
Many Nigerians condemned the unending killings in Southern Kaduna following the attack.
Also, in June 2022, the National President of the Adara Development Association, Awemi Maisamari, said terrorists allegedly deployed a helicopter and killed over 30 persons during an attack on the Adara community in Southern Kaduna.
Maisamari, who addressed journalists, said the attackers razed buildings, including the area’s Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) parish.
On April 3, bandits abducted eight female students in the Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The students later escaped from their captors a few days later.
The Nigerian security forces have killed hundreds of criminals whose operations continue to endanger Kaduna state and its environs.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance