The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gunmen

  • Gunmen kill two soldiers in Bauchi

    Unknown gunmen killed two soldiers and injured a civilian on Monday night along Kano-Potiskum-Maiduguri road, Azare, Bauchi State.

    The soldiers were attacked at a Suya spot close to an AA Kankani petrol station.

    The Second-in-Command to the Brigade Commander of 33 Artillery Brigade at Shadawanka Barracks in Bauchi, Lt. L. Adekanmbi confirmed the killings.

    “Yes, they killed our men – two of them – we have received the report,” he said.

    The gunmen also took away their rifles. He said the bodies of the deceased soldiers had been taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Azare. A civilian who suffered a bullet wound to the leg was also taken to the hospital.

    Residents of the area said the two soldiers went to the joint to buy suya.

    The scene of the attack is the busiest spot in the town.

     

  • Gunmen kill family of four in Jos attack

    •STF arrests four suspects

    Gunmen HAVE killed a family of four, comprising the father, mother and their two children, in Chaha village, near Vom, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

    The deceased are: Iliya Yakubu, his wife, Lyop, their son, Nuhu and daughter, Peace.

    Two other members of the family, Alice and Patience, escaped with bullet wounds and machete cuts.

    They are receiving treatment at the Vom Christian Hospital.

    A resident, Yohanna Dung, said the gunmen stormed the village at 10pm on Monday when the villagers were asleep.

    He said the gunmen forced the family’s main door open and started shooting at them one after the other.

    The Nation visited the scene yesterday and saw Patience, 10, at the hospital.

    She narrated what happened, saying: “The attackers first shot at the door to force it open and when they got inside, they started shooting anyone they saw. The people that came to attack us were Fulani. I don’t know them but I saw them.

    “I don’t know how I escaped. I only decided to run into the darkness. Fortunately, they did not come after me. I came out from my hiding place after the attack to see the bodies of my sister, my father and my mother.”

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Pam Ayuba said: “I visited the scene early Tuesday morning because my village is closer to the scene. I beheld the gory sight of the bodies of the victims.

    “It’s unbelievable that a man could be so heartless against fellow beings. It’s condemnable.”

    Residents of Sopp village in Riyom Local Government Area have been keeping vigil for several days to avoid likely attacks by gunmen.

    The lawmaker representing Riyom in the House of Assembly, Daniel Dem, said: “The gunmen are still lurking around in my constituency. It has been a serious gun battle between residents and Fulani herdsman, who were coming to attack the villagers.

    “I want to believe that the Fulani have declared war on my people. I am calling on security agencies to come to our aid.”

    The police confirmed the attack, saying they have deployed about four units, including the Ant-Riot Squad, Anti-Robbery Squad, Anti-Terrorist Squad and detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to apprehend the killers.

    Police spokesman Emmanuel Abuh, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said: “The attack was carried out about 11.30pm on Monday night. The sound of the gunshot by the attackers attracted the attention of Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of K-Vom.

    “He sent a platoon to the direction of the gunshot. Unfortunately, the gunmen fled after the attack.”

    The Special Task Force (STF) on Plateau Crisis, code-named Safe Haven, yesterday said it has arrested four suspects.

    Its spokesman, Capt. Salisu Mustapha, confirmed the arrest.

    He said the suspects were arrested in the bushes near the village.

    The STF spokesman added that the area has been cordoned off while the search for more suspects continues.

     

  • Police arrest 25 suspected gunmen in Kano

    Police arrest 25 suspected gunmen in Kano

    The Kano State Police Command on Sunday arrested 25 suspected gunmen over the killing of a policeman in Kano on Saturday.

    The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, confirmed the arrest at a news conference in Kano on Sunday.

    Idris said the gunmen attacked the policeman at Unguwa Uku area in the metropolis during the monthly environmental sanitation on Saturday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the monthly environmental sanitation, which was supposed to have been held on October 27, was shifted to November 3 because of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.

    The deceased police officer was cleaning his environment when the suspected gunmen, on a motorcycle opened fire on him.

     

  • Bayelsa police confirm loss of two personnel

    Bayelsa police confirm loss of two personnel

    The Bayelsa State Police Command on Thursday confirmed the loss of two of its men to suspected bandits in the Agbura suburb of Yenagoa.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Fidelis Odunna, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the assailants operating in a black jeep killed the officers at the Agbura roundabout on Wednesday night.

    He said those killed were a corporal and a sergeant, adding that a manhunt had begun

    A source in the Agbura suburb told NAN that the incident occurred at about 8.00pm when the policemen on routine duty at the roundabout were taken unawares by the bandits.

    The source said the assailants slowed down and opened fire on the policemen, who died on the spot.

     

  • Gunmen kill village head, 17 others in Zamfara

    Gunmen kill village head, 17 others in Zamfara

    Gunmen numbering about 20 on Tuesday attacked the Kaboro community in the Dansadau Emirate of Zamfara, killing 18 people, including the village head.

    A survivor, Malam Sani Abdullahi, who narrated his ordeal to journalists in Gusau, said the bandits, swooped on the village at about 4am and began to shoot sporadically.

    “It was when the shooting started that the village head, identified as Alhaji Maiyara, came out to plead with the gunmen to stop the heinous crime. But they got at him and killed him.

    “He was killed instantly when they felt that he was disturbing them with his endless begging after he was warned to shut up and keep off.

    “They fired from different angles of the village and killed whoever attempted to escape, after killing our village head,’’ he said.

    Haruna Kabir, another survivor who spoke to journalists, said he heard gunshots from far away and sensed that a disaster was befalling the community.

    Kabir said he escaped from the village through a bush path, adding that he would not return to the village in a hurry.

    The bandits were believed by the villagers to be responsible for the killing of 22 people at Dogon Dawa village in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State about a fortnight ago.

    Malam Nuhu Anka, the Director of Press to the state governor Abdulaziz Yari, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria in Gusau.

    He said the governor had directed the state Emergency Management Agency to supply relief materials to the victims’ families.

     

  • Gunmen kill 18 in Zamfara village

    •Village head among victims 

     

    Scores of gunmen yesterday killed at least 18 people, including the village head of Kabaro in Dansadau, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

    It was learnt that the gunmen, carrying guns and other weapons, stormed the village and started shooting towards different directions.

    The reportedly urged the residents to remain indoors and keep money and other valuables within reach.

    Eyewitnesses said the village head, simply identified as Alhaji Maiyara, pleaded with them not kill anybody.

    A resident, Sani Abdullahi, said: “He was killed instantly when they felt that he was disturbing them with his endless pleas. He was warned to keep off but he did not heed the warning.

    “They fired shots from different places and they killed whoever dared to escape. That was how they took several innocent lives.”

    Another survivor, Haruna Kabir, said he heard gunshots from afar.

    According to him, the gunshots were bad omens for the community.

    He said he and his wife as well as three of their children escaped into the bush.

    Kabir said: “We had escaped before they arrived. We dashed into the bush and hid. We could hear the screaming of the people from where we hid.”

    It was learnt that the assailants were after the money the villagers reportedly made from their farm produce during last week’s Sallah celebration.

     

  • Gunmen kill car dealer in Onitsha

    Four armed men on Monday robbed and killed a middle-aged car dealer, Chief Emeka Ekwerendu, at Modebe Avenue Junction in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra.

    The Divisional Police Officer at the Central Police Station, Onitsha, Mr. Tomitope Fahugbe, confirmed the incident to journalists, adding that he had yet to receive its details.

    An eyewitness said the late Ekwerendu was shot by a four-man armed robbery gang at about 8:30 a.m. a few metres away from the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Odoakpu, Onitsha.

    “The gang operating in a light green Toyota Siena without a vehicle number plate trailed their victim from a primary school close to the church, after he had dropped his children at school.

    “As he was driving out in his black Land Cruiser jeep, he was shot dead and an undisclosed amount of money taken from the boot of his vehicle.

    “The gang armed with four Ak-47 riffle shot sporadically into the air to scare the people away as they made their exit,’’ the eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria.

     

  • Gunmen kill four in Jos

    Gunmen kill four in Jos

    Unknown gunmen stormed a local beer joint at Gindin Akwanti in Gashish district of Barkin Ladi local government of Plateau State and opened fire on the people who gathered at a local drinking joint.

    The Nation gathered that the attack took place at about 8pm on Sunday night while the victims were relaxing  at the joint.

    The assailants reportedly escaped after the attack.

    Eight people were affected in the attack, one of them identified as Bitrus Chuwang died instantly while the remaining seven, who sustained various degree of injuries, were rushed to the Plateau State specialists hospital in Jos.

    Three other victims – Joel Dadu, Joshua Jang and a lady, Ladi Mathew died shortly at the hospital.

    The victims, according to eyewitnesses, lost so much blood before getting to the hospital.

     

  • Gunmen kidnap woman in Calabar

    •Demand N50m ransom

     

    A housewife, Mrs. Ime Abasi, has been kidnapped in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    This is coming barely three days after two children, who were abducted by gunmen, were released.

    It was learnt that Mrs. Abasi was abducted by gunmen on Monday from her home at Ekei Ita Street, Ikot Ansa, around 10pm.

    Her husband, Pius, is based in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

    Pius told The Nation on the phone yesterday that he called his wife’s phone at about 10pm on Monday and it was switched off.

    He said he tried to reach her throughout the night, but the line did not go through.

    Pius said when it eventually went through yesterday morning, his wife told him she had been kidnapped by some gunmen.

    He said one of her captors seized the phone from her and demanded N50 million ransom.

    Pius said when he told them he did not have that kind of money, they told him not to call the number again until he was ready to negotiate.

    Police Commissioner Osita Ezechukwu said the police would do their best to secure her release.

  • Gunmen abduct Rep’s mother in Ogun

    Gunmen abduct Rep’s mother in Ogun

    Alhaja Abedatu Balogun, mother of Mr. Abiodun Balogun, the lawmaker representing Ijebu North, Ijebu East and Ogun Waterside Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has been abducted.

    Alhaja Obedatu was abducted yesterday by six gunmen from her home in Ita–Otu, Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State, around 9:30pm

    The Nation learnt that the kidnappers are yet to contact the family and the whereabouts of the septuagenarian is still unknown.

    Balogun, who is the Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Internal Security, said his mother’s abduction is “painful and disturbing”.

    He said he is praying that she returns home safely.

    Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the abduction has not been reported to the police but said the command would do its best to secure her release.