27 Bandits Killed, Others Arrested in Kogi, Sokoto

• Three victims rescued, six killed in Sokoto
• Security agents close in on Kabba kidnap suspects

By Onuminya Innocent

A total of 27 bandits terrorising some parts of Koton Karfe Local Government Area of Kogi as well as in Tangaza local government in Sokoto have killed.

These were disclosed yesterday,

In Kogi, officers of the State Vigilante Group killed 11 of them and arrested others, while in Sokoto, 16 of the criminals were killed.

It was also gathered that in Kogi, three kidnapped victims were also rescued successfully. According to a statement, in Kogi, security operatives acting on intelligence were said to have nabbed an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Inspector Abdullahi Saidu, who, alongside a friend, reportedly supplies the criminals with weapons and information to undertake their heinous crimes.

The successful operation by the security operatives was carried out in series working with credible intelligence.

A source within the Kogi State Vigilante Service said, “Alaidi is their ring leader. He was killed during the first camp attack. Rabo and seven others were crushed. Madei and one other were killed in the second kidnappers’ camp while Umar escaped with gunshot injuries but was recaptured.”

It was also confirmed that five of the kidnappers who were arrested, including the civil defense operative, were in the custody of the Department of State Security for further investigations.

Reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Muhammed Onogwu, noted that such security success by the operatives was a welcome development and a proof that the security architecture of Kogi State was strong and solid enough to quash all forms of criminal vices.

He opined that the Local Vigilantes across the state had continued to record good results because of the morale boost and support the governor had continued to give as well as the cooperation from the citizens and synergy between the security operatives.

Onogwu noted that the continued efforts of the Kogi State government to keep the momentum as the safest state in the country were so far yielding remarkable results, noting that the governor had severally made a commitment to securing the lives and property of the citizens and make the state a no go zone for criminal elements.

He reiterated that governments at all levels would continue to make efforts towards sustaining the drive for a peaceful Kogi State by making every nook and cranny of the state unsafe for criminal elements and their sponsors.

In the same vein, security agencies are on the trail of kidnappers who were reported to have carried out attack on certain individuals in Kabba.

Meanwhile, in Sokoto, in less than 48 hours after gun men suspected to be armed bandits killed two persons in Tangaza local government, gun men again launched another fresh attacked on Sunday killing six persons in Saminaka in Tangaza local government area of the state.

But in response, the residents of Gidan Maadi and Tangaza both in Tangaza local government killed about 16 suspected bandits terrorising the environment.

The angry residents made of youths and local vigilante members had on Saturday in response to the earlier attack by bandits on Friday evening mobilised to enter into the bush in pursuant of the said bandits.

A source who spoke with our correspondent from the local government confirmed that the search led to the apprehending of the 16 suspects, 10 in Tangaza town while six were apprehended in Gidan Maadi.

The source said after the suspects were initially handed over to the police and the news filtered into the town of the arrest, members of the said communities demanded that they should be immediately killed by the police.

“When all efforts to convince the police to kill them was unsuccessful, residents overpowered the police in their station, seized the suspects and killed them all.

“Some of them who were believed to have supernatural power were even set on fire to ensure that they were all died” he added. Meanwhile, in what seemed like a reprisal attacks, suspected armed bandits reportedly attacked a village called Saminaka along Bale – Tangaza road and killed six people.

THISDAY gathered that the bandits stormed the village yesterday afternoon and killed another six persons in the village.

Those killed in the Saminaka attacks according to a reliable source included children who were slaughtered as well as housewives who were shot while trying to run away.

“I am presently with the corps as I am talking to you now, they slaughtered the children like goats while the women were shot at while running away to escape from the bandits.

“The local vigilante people as I am talking to you now have pursued them into the bush and we pray those bastards will be captured and dealt with accordingly,” the source said.