Bandits kill 51, houses burnt in attacks on communities

Published

3 years ago

January 13, 2022

Gunmen on Tuesday morning and night struck in three communities in Niger and Plateau states, killing 51 residents before fleeing unchallenged.

Bodies of 34 persons killed in Niger’s Nakuna and Wurukuchi communities were found in bushes and farms.

Fourteen of them were said to be members of two different families.

Seventeen others were killed in Ancha, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State by the gunmen who also set many houses ablaze.

The attacks occurred shortly before reports emerged that many traders were kidnapped along the Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna Highway.

The attacks in Niger and Plateau were confirmed by Police Commissioner Monday Kuryas and Operation Safe Haven Commander Maj.-Gen. I. S. Ali. They did not dispute the figures.

Earlier yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a sustained military onslaught against bandits, gunmen, and terrorists across the country.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan also expressed worry over the rising security challenges, saying that Nigerians needed action and not excuses.

The Nakuna and Wurukuchi attacks on Tuesday morning were said to be reprisals by the gunmen for last week’s killing of many of their colleagues by vigilantes and hunters.

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The gunmen were said to have captured and killed three of the hunters in one of the two communities.

The Nation learnt that 10 residents killed in Nakuna were members of the same family while four others were from another family in Wurukuchi.

Not giving up after the killings, the gunmen proceeded to burn down many houses and food barns in Nakuna.

Commissioner of Police Kuryas, who confirmed the killings, said policemen had been drafted to the communities.

The Nation gathered that in Ancha, Plateau State, the gunmen killed 17 residents and set ablaze many houses.

Information officer of Operation Safe Haven Ishaku Takwa, said: “In the late hours of Tuesday 11 January 2022, troops received a distress call of an attack on Ancha community.

“The troops responded swiftly and mobilised to the village. On reaching the community, the attackers had fled. Houses were destroyed and some villagers lost their lives during the attack.

“Troops are on the trail of the assailants and details of the pursuit would be made available later.”

Operation Safe Haven Commander I. S Ali, who commiserated with the families of the victims, assured that the perpetrators would be arrested.

Governor Simon Bako Lalong expressed sadness over the attack, saying it was another sad tale in the unending cycle of violence in the area.

He ordered security agencies to ensure the arrest of the attackers.

He also commiserated with the families of the victims and directed the state Emergency Management Agency and the Peace Building Agency to offer immediate humanitarian interventions.

The Nation

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Tinubu, Gov Yusuf asked to resolve Kano Emirate crisis

Published

7 hours ago

April 13, 2025

Trends Admin

Muhammad Sanusi and Ado Bayero

Tinubu, Gov Yusuf asked to resolve Kano Emirate crisis

A group, One Kano Agenda(OKA), has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Abba Yusuf to facilitate peaceful dialogue among the stakeholders to resolve the current Emirship crisis in Kano.

The Director-General of the group, Amb. Abbas Abdullahi, who made the call while addressing a press conference at the NUJ press centre, Kano, on Sunday, also urged Northern Elders to encourage peaceful dialogue over the matter.

“We respectfully appeal to His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and His Excellency the Governor of Kano State and the respected elders of Arewa to take a proactive role in encouraging peaceful dialogue among all relevant stakeholders.

“National peace begins with local harmony and the restoration of calm in Kano is a matter of national interest.

“A prompt non partisan mediation effort will go a long way in maintaining mutual respect between state and federal institutions and protecting our traditional values,” Abdullahi said.

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The group also called for peace and unity among residents of the state in the wake of the Emirship tussle.

It emphasized the need for all stakeholders “to put Kano first and avoid divisions that could harm the state’s social fabric.

“We are gathered here because we believe that Kano must come first before political differences, personal ambitions or any divisive agenda.

“Recent developments around the Emirate issue have stirred tensions, sparked public debates and regrettably fueled discord among our people.

“While discussions on matters of history and tradition are important, we must be careful not to allow misinformation or political manipulation to erode the unity we have built over generations,” it said.

The group warned against any attempt to politicize the Emirate issue and emphasized the importance of respecting the state’s traditional institution.

It urged all stakeholders, including youth, civil society groups, and religious leaders “to rise above divisions and work towards peace and unity.”

Tinubu, Gov Yusuf asked to resolve Kano Emirate crisis

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JUST IN: Two rescued in Lagos building collapse

Published

7 hours ago

April 13, 2025

Trends Admin

JUST IN: Two rescued in Lagos building collapse

Two persons have been rescued after a three-storey building collapsed in Lagos Island.

The building said to be under construction, caved in Sunday afternoon at 4, Agarawu Street, Lagos Island.

The victims were said to have been trapped when the building collapsed and were only extricated from the rubble by emergency workers who rushed them to the hospital.

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Confirming the incident, the Lagos Police Command said no life was lost.

Spokesman, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the site had been cordoned off by responders, adding that there was calm in the neighbourhood.

He said the relevant agencies would probe the cause of the collapse.

JUST IN: Two rescued in Lagos building collapse

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Police bust car theft syndicate in Abuja, arrest suspects

Published

7 hours ago

April 13, 2025

Trends Admin

FCT Police Command Spokesperson, SP Adeh Josephine

Police bust car theft syndicate in Abuja, arrest suspects

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has dismantled a notorious car theft syndicate operating in Abuja, recovering two stolen vehicles and arresting three key members of the gang.

The suspects reportedly confessed to refurbishing stolen vehicles, altering their colours, and reselling them as newer models to unsuspecting buyers.

The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

“On April 11, 2025, following a distress call received by the Durumi Division regarding the theft of a gold-coloured 2005 Toyota Corolla (registration number KUJ 208 DA) from a residence, operatives swiftly launched an investigation,” she stated.

The stolen vehicle was tracked to a workshop in Durumi, where it was undergoing illegal refurbishment. The car’s colour was already being changed in an attempt to conceal its identity and prepare it for quick resale.

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Further searches at the workshop led to the recovery of another red Toyota Corolla (registration number GWA 844 CK), which had earlier been reported stolen from a residence in Jikwoyi.

Three suspects were arrested at the scene: Steven Musa, David Dalyol (a painter) and Ibrahim Mohammed (a mechanic).

During interrogation, the trio confessed to being part of a larger car theft syndicate operating across Wuse, Central Area, Jikwoyi, and Bwari within the FCT. They admitted to stealing multiple vehicles, refurbishing them, and selling them off as upgraded models.

The suspects remain in police custody and will be charged to court upon completion of investigations.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao S. Adewale, commended the swift action of the officers involved and urged residents to install vehicle tracking systems and anti-theft devices to enhance recovery efforts in the event of a theft.