In yet another invasion of Zagzaga community in Munya local government area of Niger state, the third within one week, 10 more villagers were abducted bringing the total number of persons with the bandits to 80.
Seventy of the residents were abducted last week at different times in the local government area.
The incident happened Saturday with the bandits placing a N150 million ransom on the victims to regain their freedom.
A local source said: “The bandits returned to the community at about 8:00am riding on 10 motorcycles and started shooting anyhow after which they abducted ten of us.”
“They parked their motorcycles about 500 meters from the community, came on foot and began to select those that they wanted to take along. They were asking for the names of some particular people, suggesting that they were working with some informants.
“Later that day, the bandits reached out to the community leaders to demand for N150m for the release of the 70 people they abducted. They told us that the money was for the 70 people, including three nursing mothers that were freed because of their babies and a man who escaped from their den on Monday.
“They even told us to go and sell our yams and other farm produce to raise the money. They told us too that they decided not to disturb the community since April this year after dislodging the military from the area so as to enable us to farm very well to be able to pay the ransom.
“Their commander asked me that whether the community is not happy that they even allowed us to farm this year. He was even boasting that no amount of security could prevent them from invading any community they wanted to invade, so we should just go and look for the money,” the source further added.
According to him, the bandits said they allowed the villagers to farm during the last cropping season because of a day like this.
It was gathered that “people are now leaving Zagzaga in droves as a result of the activities of the bandits who have set up a camp at Sohon Kabula with not less than 30 motorcycles at their disposal.”
Secretary of the local government council, Mr James Jagaba, and Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Wasiu Abiodun could not be reached for comment as at the time of this report.
Monarch’s brother abducted
In related development, some gunmen abducted Olujala Adegboja, an indigene of Olla town in Isin local government area of Kwara state.
It was gathered that the victim, who was in a van on his way home, was whisked away to an unknown location from the farm at about 7 pm.
Spokesman of the state Police command, Okesanmi Ajayi confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Ilorin, the state capital.
The command said the anti-kidnapping and other tactical teams in conjunction with local hunters and vigilantes, acted swiftly to rescue victims as directed by the state police commissioner.
He said the captors stormed the Olla community shooting sporadically and ambushed the victim, said to be a brother of the monarch in the town.
It was gathered that the kidnappers had demanded N200 million as ransom for the release of the victim but later reduced it to N10 million.
According to reports, the abductors attacked the victim with a machete before whisking him away to an unknown destination.
The kidnap operation, sources said lasted about one hour with consistent gunshots which enveloped the entire community.
Abuja
Also, operatives of the anti-kidnapping unit of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have foiled the kidnap of a cleric, Ayuba Samuel, at Nuku community in Abaji area council of Abuja.
FCT Police Commissioner Sunday Babaji disclosed this to newsmen at the command’s headquarters in Abuja over the weekend.
He said: “A notorious kidnapping gang leader, Malam Bala and one Abdullahi Aruwa a.k.a Juli were arrested during a covert operation at Atako forest, a neighbouring village in Kuje area council of the FCT.
“The suspects were arrested while perfecting plans toward executing the criminal act on how to abduct the clergyman at Nuku community in Abaji area council of Abuja.”
According to him, the suspects equally revealed to the police team on how they had carried out several kidnapping for ransom operations in the territory.
Babaji said two mobile phones with special lines were recovered from Malam Bala, which he said the suspect used in communicating with other gang members while perfecting their plans.
The police chief said two Gionee mobile phones which, according to him, the gang also used in contacting the families of their victims for ransom were also recovered from the second suspect, Abdullahi Aruwa.
CP Babaji further disclosed that another suspected member of kidnapping syndicate that had been on the command’s watch list, Awwal Abdullahi, has also been arrested.
He said the suspect was arrested by the police operatives from Dawaki Division, adding the suspect revealed how he recently participated in two kidnap operations carried out by his gang.
The CP said it was during further investigations that led to the arrest of one Isah Yusuf and three other members of the syndicate, even as he said efforts were being intensified to arrest other fleeing members of the gang in the two operations.
He said the suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.
Babaji urged residents of the FCT to remain calm, while reaffirming his unflinching commitment to rid the territory of every form of crimes and criminality and protect the lives and property of residents.
Nasarawa
In a similar feat, the Nasarawa state Police Command has foiled an attempt to abduct Mr Umar Nasiru-Black, Nasarawa-South Zonal Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Rahman Nansel, said the police received a distress call November 20 at about 8: 30 p.m. that six gunmen had invaded Nasiru Black’s residence in Lafia and attempted kidnapping him.
“Upon the receipt of the information, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Adesina Soyemi, immediately mobilised police patrol teams to the scene.
“The abduction was foiled due to the prompt intervention of the team mobilised by the commissioner and members of the community,” the PPRO said.
Nansel said in the bid to escape, the hoodlums hit Nasiru-Black with a stick on his forehead.
Jet fighters hit North-west
Meanwhile, airstrikes conducted Saturday by aircraft of the Operation Hadarin Daji Air Component have led to the deaths of an undisclosed number of bandits.
PRNigeria gathered that the precision airstrikes, which were executed at Dangwandi and Tsakai areas of Isa local government area of Sokoto state, resulted in the elimination of key bandits’ leaders, and their foot soldiers.
The sustained aerial bombardments in parts of Zamfara state destroyed the logistics facilities and properties of the bandits.
Local sources confirmed to PRNigeria that bodies of neutralized bandits were seen all over the camps, just as the bandits’ means of economic sustenance were destroyed.
According to the sources, fleeing bandits were also trailed and neutralized by ground troops.
“Specifically, the locations of bandit kingpins, Bello Guda Turji, and his subordinate commander, Bello Buzu, along with their cohorts operating within Sokoto and some parts of Zamfara State have been struck by the military aircraft,” a military intelligence officer told PRNigeria.
“The successes being recorded especially through air strikes by NAF aircraft in the Northwest as well as in the North East Theatres of Operation is indicative that new strategies adopted by the Armed Forces of Nigeria are beginning to yield requisite results.
“Indeed, despite the loss of a senior military officer and some soldiers recently, it is clear that the military is living up to its promise to rid the north and the nation of all criminal elements and their activities,” the source further added.
Army tasks troops
In a related development, Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-General Faruk Yahaya has commended Nigerian Army for sustained attacks on the criminals disrupting the nation’s peace.
He also charged troops to get at the bandits, kill them and bring forth their corpses and weapons..
CAS Yahaya spoke Sunday in Minna during a familiarisation visit to 31 Artillery Brigade and Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Minna and commissioning of the TRADOC Officers’ transit accommodation.
Yahaya said: “I am here in Niger today as part of my operation visit to 31 Artillery Brigade and TRADOC. I commend the troops for the job they are doing. Don’t relent but continue and be more resolute and more decisive in dealing with criminals.
“When we engage the criminals and bandits, we kill them and bring their corpses and their weapons and that is what we will continue to do.”
He said the Army would continue to motivate the troops by providing necessary supports to enable them provide security in the state and country as a whole.
The visit, he said, was to interact and ginger the troops to do more in the area of ensuring security for residents of the state. .
The CAS appealed for accurate and timely information to the Nigerian Army and other security agencies for immediate action.
