Some bandits have killed five people, including an 80-year-old woman, in separate attacks on three local government areas of Kaduna State.
The local government areas are Chikun, Igabi and Giwa.
The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, who confirmed the attacks on Sunday, said the state was informed of the development by security agencies.
Aruwan said some bandits raided several houses at Sharu village in the Igabi LGA.
The bandits, he said, invaded the village and shot indiscriminately, following which the octogenarian was hit by bullets and died on the spot.
The commissioner also said gunmen invaded the Konti community in Chikun LGA, killing one Samaila Yohana, the ward head of the area.
He added that in another attack, bandits killed two people — Alhaji Sani and Malam Rabiu, at Dande village, in the same LGA.
He noted that some bandits barricaded the road between Fatika and Kidandan in Giwa LGA, where they fired on travelers, killing one woman and injuring three others.
Aruwan said the state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, expressed sadness over the attacks and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families, while praying for the repose of the souls of the victims.
“He also prayed for speedy recovery for the injured,” he added.
Meanwhile, bandits have killed 10 people, while five of them were killed in Janbako town of Maradun LGA of Zamfara state in an encounter with vigilante group.
A resident of the town, Malam Ibrahim Janbako told our correspondent on the telephone that the bandits numbering about 100 came into the town on motorcycles on Sunday.
“After sighting the bandits who were carrying sophisticated weapons, everybody ran helter-skelter, but 10 people were shot dead, while several others sustained serious injuries,” said Ibrahim.
Ibrahim added that the vigilante group of the town quickly mobilised to the scene where they faced the bandits.
“In the encounter with the bandits, the vigilante group succeeded in killing five of the bandits”.
He, however, maintained that the bandits who were forced out of the town by the vigilante group later returned to the town and took away the dead bodies of their members and ran into the forest.
“We have already buried six people and we are looking into the possibility of burying the remaining four because we fear that the bandits may return to the community for reprisals,” said Ibrahim.
The spokesperson for the state police command, SP Mohammed Shehu, told our reporter that he was unaware of the incident.
