Tag: Kaduna Gunmen

Gunmen on Friday evening attacked a police station in Zonkwa, headquarters of Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing at least two officers.

The incident, which occurred around 8 pm, threw the usually quiet town into confusion as residents scampered for safety amid heavy gunshots

Eyewitnesses said the assailants stormed the police station located a few metres from Kamyim Hotel in Kurmin-Bi area of Zonkwa, and opened fire on arrival.

It was learnt that the attackers were trying to free some suspected vandals earlier arrested in Kachia town, believing they were being held at the Zonkwa Police Station.

A resident, who pleaded anonymity, said: “They came shooting sporadically. It was later discovered that the suspects they came for were not even detained in Zonkwa. But before that became clear, the damage had already been done.”

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A security source confirmed the attack but declined to give details, saying investigations were ongoing.

In a video sighted by The Nation, two police officers were seen lying motionless in uniform, while a crowd gathered around the scene discussing the assault.

The attack, residents said, has heightened fears over the deteriorating security situation in the area despite recent peace efforts by authorities.

Security operatives were later deployed to restore normalcy in the town.

As at press time, the Kaduna State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

• Notorious kingpin neutralised, weapons recovered in Sokoto

Twelve persons have been killed, nine injured and 17 houses razed as rampaging gunmen invaded Gindin Dutse Makyali village in  Kufana District, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The attack occurred around 5am yesterday, barely 24 hours after terrorists invaded Kaura and Igabi Local Government Areas where at least none persons died and 35 were kidnapped including a retired Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), his younger brother and wife.

The Kajuru invaders were said to have opened sporadic fire as soon as they got into the community.

A community leader, Moses Musa, told newsmen that the attack occurred at a location not far from a military checkpoint.

He disclosed that nine of the victims were burnt to death inside their rooms, while nine others sustained varying degrees of injuries from fire burn.

The community leader also disclosed that 17 houses were burnt by the bandits during the attack that lasted hours, adding that there was no resistance from the security forces.

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Confirming the attack, Govenror Uba Sani said the state government was already working with security forces and other critical stakeholders on mitigating the challenges.

He said he received security reports on renewed bandits attacks resulting in loss of lives, kidnappings and destruction of properties in Kajuru, Kauru and Igabi LGAs. 

The Governor condemned the attacks, directing the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to assist the affected communities especially those whose houses and valuables were burnt.

In Sokoto State, the police killed a suspected notorious terror kingpin, Bello Hantsi a.k.a Mai Dubu-Dubu of Tungar Rana Village.

The suspect was killed during a coordinated onslaught by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in conjunction with Kware Police  Division.

A statement yesterday by the spokesman for the command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, said investigation revealed that the suspect was the leader and supplier of arms and ammunition to the five suspected kidnappers who were arrested while on their way to Tambuwal on a kidnap mission.

“the Anti-Kidnapping unit mobilised a coordinated search of the suspect and on sighting the team and sensing danger at a nearby bush, he fired a shot to escape arrest and a quick response from the team neutralised him while others flew with bullets wounds,” the statement read.

However, Rufa’i explained that while scanning the scene, the body of one suspected bandit as well as one Ak47 rifle with  21 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the scene.