50 killed, houses burnt as bandits wrecked havoc in fresh attack

About 50 people have been reported killed by gunmen suspected to be armed bandits in Kerawa, Rago, Marina, Zariyawa, Hashimawa, and Unguwar Barau villages, all of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna state at the weekend.

Kaduna State Police Command confirmed the incident, though no casualty figure was given as at press time.

The Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Muhammad Jalige told The Nation the casualty figure was yet unknown.

ASP Jalige, who spoke 7:20am on Monday, said the contingent of the Commissioner of Police was on the way to the affected villages to assess the situation.

According to him: “Yes, there was an attack. In fact, as we speak, I am in the entourage of the Commissioner of Police. We are going to the scene. When we come back, I will get back to you”.

Sources from Igabi disclosed that, over 50 persons, including children, Almajiri, women and aged were hacked to death by the bandits.

A source from the area said, the killers came to revenge attacks launched against them by the security forces who bombarded the bandits camps in the neighboring Birnin-Gwari local government area few weeks

According the source: “If you remember, few weeks ago, Policemen raided the bandits’ camp and killed over 200 of them. Soldiers and Air Force also attacked the bandits few days ago and they also killed many of them.

“So, these people believe we are the ones giving the security operatives information about their movement and camps. Some of the villagers who escaped from the attackers said, the bandits were saying it in Hausa language that, the villagers were ones reporting them to the security.

“I don’t live in any of those villages, but people often run from some of the villages to take refuge here.

“The villages have actually been suffering in the hands of the bandits for a long time. They invade the villages and kidnap people unchallenged. That is why they became the first suspects to the bandits.”

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