222 Killed, 774 Abducted By Kaduna Bandits In Three Months

A total of 222 people have been killed while 774 others have
been kidnapped by bandits in Kaduna state in the past three
months.

This was contained in the second quarter security report,
presented to Governor Nasir El-Rufai by the Commissioner for
Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan on Tuesday at
the Government House Kaduna.

Aruwan said the report covers the period between April 1 to June
30, 2021.

The report showed a slide reduction in the number of deaths and
the number of people abducted.

In the first quarter report, present in April, a total of 323
persons were killed while 949 others were kidnapped by bandits
across Kaduna State.

Aruwan also disclosed that a total of 8,553 heads of cattle were
rustled in the period under review with most stolen from the Kaduna
Central Senatorial District, which accounted for around
5,715 stolen cattle.

Aruwan said the 222 deaths were caused by banditry attacks,
communal clashes and reprisals across the state.

According to him, 159 of the deaths, were recorded in Kaduna
Central Senatorial District while Southern Kaduna Senatorial
District and Northern Senatorial District recorded 54 and nine
deaths respectively.

The commissioner said of the 774 people kidnapped, Kaduna
Central Senatorial District topped the list with 555 people
abducted.

Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Kajuru, Giwa and Igabi LGAs, where there
are rampant cases of killings and kidnappings are in the Kaduna
Central senatorial zone.

He said, “Southern Kaduna Senatorial District recorded 164
kidnapped persons, with Kachia LGA reporting the highest number of
111.

“The Northern Senatorial District recorded 55 kidnapped persons,
with 37 of these from Zaria LGA.

“In total, 239 women, and 32 minors were kidnapped in the second
quarter across the state”.

The commissioner also disclosed that 20 persons were reported to
have been raped across the state during the period, adding that a
total of 266 were injured as a result of banditry, violent attacks,
reprisals and communal clashes.

Aruwan also raised the alarm over looming food insecurity,
threat to education and attack on health facilities in the
state.

He said, “Banditry has hampered farming activities in the
frontline areas of the state.

“Bandits attack and abduct farmers working on or on their way to
their fields. Several farmers have similarly been killed.

“Furthermore, bandits have begun to extract protection levies
from some communities in return for permission to cultivate their
fields.

“Many farmers in these areas, fearing for their lives and
safety, have abandoned their fields altogether.

“This has already begun to affect crop yields, and the threat of
food insecurity looms large.”

He said the most affected communities are in the frontline Local
Government Areas of Birnin Gwari, Igabi, Giwa, Zaria, Chikun,
Kauru, Kajuru, Kachia,Kagarko, Zangon Kataf, Jema’a and Sanga.”

Aruwan said attacks on some schools and mass abduction of
students portends dire consequences for education in the state.

He said hospitals and other health facilities in frontline
locations are equally under grave threat by armed bandits.

According to him, “Banditry has led to the near-total collapse
of the local economy in frontline areas, which is mainly sustained
by crop and livestock farming. “The activities of bandits in these
areas have dispossessed residents of their foremost means of
sustenance and disrupted the operation of the usually dynamic
weekly markets.

“Besides the rustling of cattle, the previously highlighted
targeting of farmers by armed bandits has generally eroded the
economic viability of rural communities, in addition to
precipitating a food crisis.

“This has translated to losses running into billions of naira
from the rural economy.”

He said the State government’s strategies to address the
security challenges were being sustained.

The commissioner decried the politicization of insecurity saying
“political mappings and strategies are now frequently being built
around the unfortunate scenarios of insecurity, while real people
and real communities suffer devastation at the hands of sheer
criminals.”

He also said, “Ethnic and religious narratives are also being
built around banditry, to the further complication of security
management.

“Too often, attacks by bandits are portrayed to the public by
some quarters as ethnically or religiously motivated.

Such groups manipulate religious, ethnic and political
sensitivities for their own advantage, simply to advance a cause
inimical to peace and stability of the state.”

In his remarks after receiving the reports, Governor Nasir
El-Rufai said an unconventional approach is required to enable the
state government protect its citizens.

A Government House statement issued after the presentation of
the report, quoted the governor as calling on the federal
government to empower the state government to make up for the
manpower deficit in the security sector.

“The state government must be empowered and supported by the
federal government to make up the manpower deficit in the security
sector”, the statement quoted the governor.

According to him, “citizens who have been affected by crime and
insecurity are not interested in the distinctions between the
federal and state governments in terms of their powers over
security.

‘’As a state government, we have also seen at close quarters how
the federal security agencies are limited by manpower deficits.

“There are simply not enough boots on the ground to have
credible deployments in most places to protect communities, deter
crime and enforce law and order.

He said, ‘’an unconventional approach is required to enable us
better to protect our communities and we are engaging with the
federal government and the leadership of the security agencies on
this.”

A total of 222 people have been killed while 774 others have
been kidnapped by bandits in Kaduna state in the past three
months.

This was contained in the second quarter security report,
presented to Governor Nasir El-Rufai by the Commissioner for
Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan on Tuesday at
the Government House Kaduna.

Aruwan said the report covers the period between April 1 to June
30, 2021.

The report showed a slide reduction in the number of deaths and
the number of people abducted.

In the first quarter report, present in April, a total of 323
persons were killed while 949 others were kidnapped by bandits
across Kaduna State.

Aruwan also disclosed that a total of 8,553 heads of cattle were
rustled in the period under review with most stolen from the Kaduna
Central Senatorial District, which accounted for around
5,715 stolen cattle.

Aruwan said the 222 deaths were caused by banditry attacks,
communal clashes and reprisals across the state.

According to him, 159 of the deaths, were recorded in Kaduna
Central Senatorial District while Southern Kaduna Senatorial
District and Northern Senatorial District recorded 54 and nine
deaths respectively.

The commissioner said of the 774 people kidnapped, Kaduna
Central Senatorial District topped the list with 555 people
abducted.

Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Kajuru, Giwa and Igabi LGAs, where there
are rampant cases of killings and kidnappings are in the Kaduna
Central senatorial zone.

He said, “Southern Kaduna Senatorial District recorded 164
kidnapped persons, with Kachia LGA reporting the highest number of
111.

“The Northern Senatorial District recorded 55 kidnapped persons,
with 37 of these from Zaria LGA.

“In total, 239 women, and 32 minors were kidnapped in the second
quarter across the state”.

The commissioner also disclosed that 20 persons were reported to
have been raped across the state during the period, adding that a
total of 266 were injured as a result of banditry, violent attacks,
reprisals and communal clashes.

Aruwan also raised the alarm over looming food insecurity,
threat to education and attack on health facilities in the
state.

He said, “Banditry has hampered farming activities in the
frontline areas of the state.

“Bandits attack and abduct farmers working on or on their way to
their fields. Several farmers have similarly been killed.

“Furthermore, bandits have begun to extract protection levies
from some communities in return for permission to cultivate their
fields.

“Many farmers in these areas, fearing for their lives and
safety, have abandoned their fields altogether.

“This has already begun to affect crop yields, and the threat of
food insecurity looms large.”

He said the most affected communities are in the frontline Local
Government Areas of Birnin Gwari, Igabi, Giwa, Zaria, Chikun,
Kauru, Kajuru, Kachia,Kagarko, Zangon Kataf, Jema’a and Sanga.”

Aruwan said attacks on some schools and mass abduction of
students portends dire consequences for education in the state.

He said hospitals and other health facilities in frontline
locations are equally under grave threat by armed bandits.

According to him, “Banditry has led to the near-total collapse
of the local economy in frontline areas, which is mainly sustained
by crop and livestock farming. “The activities of bandits in these
areas have dispossessed residents of their foremost means of
sustenance and disrupted the operation of the usually dynamic
weekly markets.

“Besides the rustling of cattle, the previously highlighted
targeting of farmers by armed bandits has generally eroded the
economic viability of rural communities, in addition to
precipitating a food crisis.

“This has translated to losses running into billions of naira
from the rural economy.”

He said the State government’s strategies to address the
security challenges were being sustained.

The commissioner decried the politicization of insecurity saying
“political mappings and strategies are now frequently being built
around the unfortunate scenarios of insecurity, while real people
and real communities suffer devastation at the hands of sheer
criminals.”

He also said, “Ethnic and religious narratives are also being
built around banditry, to the further complication of security
management.

“Too often, attacks by bandits are portrayed to the public by
some quarters as ethnically or religiously motivated.

Such groups manipulate religious, ethnic and political
sensitivities for their own advantage, simply to advance a cause
inimical to peace and stability of the state.”

In his remarks after receiving the reports, Governor Nasir
El-Rufai said an unconventional approach is required to enable the
state government protect its citizens.

A Government House statement issued after the presentation of
the report, quoted the governor as calling on the federal
government to empower the state government to make up for the
manpower deficit in the security sector.

“The state government must be empowered and supported by the
federal government to make up the manpower deficit in the security
sector”, the statement quoted the governor.

According to him, “citizens who have been affected by crime and
insecurity are not interested in the distinctions between the
federal and state governments in terms of their powers over
security.

‘’As a state government, we have also seen at close quarters how
the federal security agencies are limited by manpower deficits.

“There are simply not enough boots on the ground to have
credible deployments in most places to protect communities, deter
crime and enforce law and order.

He said, ‘’an unconventional approach is required to enable us
better to protect our communities and we are engaging with the
federal government and the leadership of the security agencies on
this.”