Big fear as bandits take over Kaduna-Abuja, Zaria-Funtua roads, kill two, injure others

Bandits, on Tuesday descended on Maigiginya community in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing two persons and injuring several others.

The latest attack came barely eight days after armed bandits killed two persons and kidnapped many, including nine ABU students on the ever-busy Kaduna-Abuja Highway.

Also on Tuesday, dare-devil bandits suspected to be kidnappers, invaded the staff quarters of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, abducting a lecturer, his wife and daughter.

A source within the university told The Nation that, the suspected kidnappers were yet to contact the family of the abducted lecturer for ransom.

Speaking on the attack on Maigiginya community, a source, who preferred anonymity, said the gunmen who came on bikes, shot sporadically and killed two of their kinsmen.

The source said that, after killing two people and injuring two others, they broke into shops and looted foodstuffs before they ran back into the bush.

“I am not sure whether they are kidnappers or armed robbers, because they did not kidnap anybody. They just stole food stuff after killing and ran away,” the source said.

Confirming the three attacks in a statement, Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said many of the bandits escaped into the forest with gunshot wounds.

Aruwan said: “The Kaduna State government has been informed that troops of the Operation Thunder Strike (OPTS) late Monday night successfully repelled armed bandits on the Kaduna-Abuja Road.

“The armed bandits appeared along the pipeline axis of Kakau general area in an attempt to strike, when troops engaged and repelled them with superior fire power. Many of the bandits escaped into the forest with gunshot wounds, having been denied freedom of action.

“When troops cleared the road for traffic, it was discovered that a driver was hit by the bandits who were fleeing the location. Also, two buses ran into a ditch resulting in injuries to some passengers, who were rushed to the hospital by the security operatives.”