Bandits, on Wednesday, killed three soldiers and injured one other during an ambush on a vehicle conveying military personnel near Dolen-Kaura Village, in the Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
A source in the community said the military personnel got intelligence information that the bandits were planning to attack Kada-Mutsa village in Zurmi LGA of the state and were on their way to foil the attack when the bandits, who also got information that the soldiers were coming, laid a siege and attacked them.
“The bandits laid an ambush and attacked the vehicle conveying the military personnel, killing three of them and injuring one,” the source said.
The source identified the military team leader who was killed as Major Emos, describing him as a gallant officer.
Both the military and the state police command have yet to issue any statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
In another development, a customs officer with the Strike Force of the Nigeria Customs Service, identified as Assistant Inspector Abboie, was killed on Tuesday by suspected terrorists who swooped on the service checkpoint along Katsina/Jibia highway, Katsina State.
Sources in the area said the terrorists, numbering about 40, who shot Abboie at close range around 2am, also snatched a service rifle belonging to another customs officer who was at the checkpoint.
A security officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Abboie was shot at close range between his head and nose.”
Attempts to get a reaction from the NCS Katsina Command Controller, Chedi-Dalhatu Wada, were futile, as he was said to be at an emergency meeting.
In a related development, suspected bandits in Shiwaka community, Kaduna State, killed a yet-to-be-identified farmer.
The Chairman of the Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union, Ishaq Kasai, who confirmed the incident, said the farmer was killed during a series of attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday.
He added that the bandits tied the farmer to a tree till he died and kidnapped 20 other farmers in Jangali and Kwaga, in the Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He also said about 10 farmers who were kidnapped on Saturday regained their freedom after parting with foodstuffs and N2.5m ransom.
He said, “Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union regrets to report that as farmers began to harvest their crops, bandits intensified their attacks and imposed levies on some farming communities in Birnin-Gwari LGA of Kaduna State.
“Another worrisome development is that the bandits informed some farming communities, including Kwaga, Kwanan-Shehu, Unguwan Liman and Unguwan Shekarau, to pay levies amounting to N12m in order for them to be allowed to continue harvesting their crops.
“These communities were given till Friday, September 30, 2022, to meet the condition failing which the bandits vowed to kidnap any person found on the farm. The union found out that these helpless communities have started making contributions based on farm sizes to meet the condition and the deadline.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Jalige, promised to contact the Area Commander at Birnin-Gwari and get back to our correspondent.
Jalige had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
