By JACOB KUBEKA, Abuja –
Armed bandits at the weekend carried our what appeared to be coordinated attacks in Kaduna, north-west Nigeria, killing at least 19 people and injuring many others.
The attacks took place villages in two local government areas of Birnin Gwari and Kajuru.
Kaduna State Commissioner for internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, confirmed the massacre of 14 people by armed bandits at Kutemeshi village in Birnin Gwari.
He added that five others were killed with many others sustaining bullet wounds at Kujeni village in Kajuru also on Saturday.
The attacks came barely 72 hours after 52 bandits were neutralized by troops of Operation Hadarin Daji who staged an ambush in Shinkafi area of Zamfara State in continuation of the war against banditry.
This latest feat by the Nigerian Troops came closely on the heels of the neutralization of 32 armed bandits earlier last Wednesday during a massive clearance operation by operation Hadarin Daji.
Besides the elimination of the bandits, many items including 16 motorcycles, 2 AK 47 magazines, 2 Pulemyot Kalashnikova Tankovyi (PKT) rifles and 1 AK 47 rifle were recovered from the criminal elements during the encounter.
Local sources on the ground said the latest success occurred on Friday when the troops received credible intelligence on the purchase of arms by armed bandits in Shinkafi area of Zamfara State.
The troops swiftly deployed to the area and staged an ambush on the bandits while making their way back to Sububu forest.
Troops encountered the bandits and overwhelmed them with superior and effective firepower, forcing them to flee in disarray, therefore, neutralizing no fewer than 20 bandits while several others fled into the forest with fatal gunshot wounds.