Senator: Bandits Ask Plateau Communities Residents to Quit

12 killed as soldier repel bandits

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

Following the attack on Wase in which 12 persons died, Senator representing Plateau South Senatorial district in the National assembly, Prof Nora Dadu’ut  has called on security agencies in the state to be proactive against banditry and terrorism to prevent loss of lives and property.

She also condemned development in which bandits give quit notices to communities, threatening to wipe them out, describing it as unacceptable. 

The bandits had served quit notices to residents of Sabon Zama, Gindin Dutse, Anguwan Tsohon Soldier, Anguwan Yuhana and Anguwan Mangu villages, giving them 24 hours to relocate from the communities or be “wiped out.”

Salama Yakubu, a member of the community said:”We got the quit notice last  week Tuesday where the  bandits said we must leave our villages or they will kill all of us.

“We don’t know where to run to. The 24 hours is past, and we are just waiting helplessly what what will happen next. We are calling on the government and the security operatives to come to our aid.”

Reacting to the report in a statement, Daduut who lamented the insecurity in the area, also  called on  security operatives to come to the rescue of the people of the affected communities.

She said: “As the Senator representing Plateau South, I urge  security agencies to intensify efforts to investigate the matter with the aim of bringing perpetrators of the attack to book, and alley the fears of the communities that have been given quit notices. They should deploy drones and helicopters to monitor forests around Plateau South Senatorial district, to identify illegal camps of armed bandits.

Meanwhile, at least 12 persons have been killed in a clash between bandits and vigilantes in Zak community of Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.

A youth leader of the community, Mr. Shapi’i Sambo, who confirmed the development, said that the incident occurred about 9am  yesterday, adding that “the clash left nine bandits and three vigilance dead.”

The youth leader narrated that “The bandits came on motorcycles in their numbers in the morning. We suspected that they passed a night in a bush closed to Zak.

“When the people realised that the bandits arrived the community, they quickly informed Operation Safe Haven  stationed in Zak and they swiftly mobilised their  troops to the general area and repelled the attacks together with the vigilantes. It was a serious clash.”

Zak community is about 40 kilometers away from Wase town, the  headquarters of Wase LGA.

Spokesman of military taskforce in Jos (Operation Safe Haven), Major Ishaku Takwa also confirmed the incident to newsmen, but could not ascertain the casualty figure. 

He said that the commander and troops who repelled the attack also moved to Gajin Bashar community to fight bandits who had held the community hostage, saying the soldiers had to move in after receiving distress calls of an  attack.