President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday vowed to defeat rampaging bandits who massacred 51 villagers in Kaduna State on Sunday.
Some gunmen on Sunday killed about 50 villagers, including infants, in three Local Government Areas of Kaduna State. The LGAs – Giwa, Birnin Gwari, and Igabi – are all in the northern axis of the state.
The bandits attacked six villages of Kerawa, Rago, Marina, Zariyawa, Hashimawa, Gidan Musa Saidu, and Unguwar Barau – within the three LGAs.
Reacting to the gruesome murder, Buhari expressed deep sadness and regret over the latest bandits attack in Kaduna State.
“From reports received, it is obvious that these bandits are unleashing their fury and frustration on innocent people because of the ongoing military and police offensive against them in the Birnin Gwari and Kaduru forests.
“This administration would not be blackmailed by criminals to abandon the current military operations against them,” Buhari said, in a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity).
Buhari assured the people of Kaduna State and other parts of the country that this government would continue to deploy all available resources to fight these cold-hearted bandits with a view to bringing them to their knees.
“These criminals should make no mistake that they can establish a reign of terror on the people without feeling the full might of the government which was elected to protect the citizens,” he warned.
The President, while expressing profound commiserations to the victims of this heinous attack in Kaduna State, sent a strong warning to the killers: “The criminals cannot be lucky always; we are determined to frustrate and defeat them, and no matter how long they run or where they hide, they would be smoked out and brought to justice.”
Governor Nasir El-Rufai has also vowed to wipe out bandits in Kaduna state.
During a visit to some of the affected villages on Monday, Governor El-Rufai insisted that his administration will not succumb to granting the bandits amnesty.
He assured the villagers that troops of the Nigerian military will be stationed in the villages to provide adequate security.
However, the villagers told Governor El-Rufai that the bandits were believed to have come from Katsina state to attack them.
