Terror Groups Kill 8 In Northwest Nigeria

Terror groups killed at least eight persons in two attacks in Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria, an official said Wednesday.

The attacks by the assailants occurred  in Chikun, Giwa and Kajuru local government areas of the state, less than 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered his security chiefs to take out the terrorists.

A statement by Samuel Aruwan, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, said the armed gangs shot at a vehicle in Kan Hawa Zankoro, near Ungwan Yako in Chikun Local Government Area which forced the vehicle to somersault.

This, Aruwan said, led to the death of six persons with four others sustaining injuries.

In another attack, the criminal gang raided Iburu village in Kajuru Local Government Area, killing one person.

They also invaded Hayin Kanwa village in Fatika district ofGiwa Local Government Area, and killed one Alhaji Sule, a businessman who resisted their kidnap attempt.

Kaduna has lately been experiencing a surge in the spate of criminal activities of armed gangs that continue to challenge security forces.

On Tuesday, one of the terror groups abducted a Catholic priest,  Anthony Dawa of Saint Pius catholic church at Kushe Makaranta in Kagarko Local Government Area of the state.

They also took away the wife and son of the Catechist of the parish and one other person during the operation.

The incident happened some days after eight members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God were abducted by some terrorists in the Kachia Local Government of the state.

Earlier this month, Aruwan said a total of 937 persons were killed by terror gangs across the 23 local government areas of the state while 1,972 persons were kidnapped in 2020.

The insecurity has hampered farming activities in some areas, Aruwan noted.

“This has reversed the trend of bumper harvest the state recorded in the recent years and is likely to induce food shortages in the region and the country at large,” he said.

Earlier in the month, the United Nations said the violence which has escalated since Jan., 2020, forced 77,000 people to flee to the neighbouring Niger Republic.

Analysts say the attacks have added to security challenges in Nigeria, which is struggling to contain decade-old Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency in the Northeast, farmer-herder clashes over grazing rights in Southwest and North-central states and police attacks in Southeast and South-south states.

But President Buhari had repeatedly said his administration “will not succumb to blackmail by bandits” seeking ransom payments.

On Tuesday, March 30,  the President ordered the armed forces to be more proactive rather than reactionary.

“Mr President has warned that the reign of terror unleashed on parts of the country by bandits and kidnappers is no longer acceptable,” the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, told reporters after Buhari’s meeting with the security chiefs in Abuja, the country’s capital on Tuesday.