Bandits Hold Sway in Northern Nigeria As Ex Presidential Candidate Knocks Buhari led APC Govt.; ‘FG arrested Nnamdi Kanu, but couldn’t defeat bandits’
By Wale Abydeen// A university Don, Professor Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies has decried the continuous abduction of students in Nigeria. Prof Funmilayo who was the Presidential candidate of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) in the 2019 election particularly condemned the abduction of Bethel Baptist Church High School students, Kaduna – a boarding school located at the outskirts of Kaduna.
The ex Presidential candidate stated that “as a Baptist born and bred woman, I’m yet to come to terms with this ugly heart-breaking news”.
Security Monitor learns that the bandits stormed the school around 1:00 am in the early hours of Monday 5th July, 2021. It was gathered that a few hours after the suspected bandits abducted nurses and babies in Kaduna, the bandits also stormed Bethel Secondary School, Maramara Chickun Local Government Area of Kaduna State and kidnapped scores of students.
According to Mr. Daniel Muhuta, a security guard in the school, “I escaped narrowly. They came around 1.00 am and started shooting. I was at the back of the school dormitory when I heard shooting and decided to pin down.” As of the time of filling this report, security personnel have cordoned off the area, even as parents and relatives of the kidnapped students gathered at the main entrance in a sorrowful mood.
Also, the bandits stormed the residential quarters of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Centre (NTLC) in Zaria, Kaduna State and abducted infant babies, fives nurses and security guards.
Security Monitor gathered that the bandits stormed the area from a nearby forest. They engaged police officers in a gun battle before they escaped with their victims, the agency reported. The area where the kidnap occurred, known as Saye District in the outskirts of Zaria, is close to notorious Sabon Birni, Galadima and Malu Forests where armed bandits keep their victims hostage.
Kidnapping for ransom is becoming a norm in Kaduna where Governor El-Rufai is the failed Chief security of the state and in many other states in Nigeria. It was said that, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige did not pick his calls and did not respond to text messages sent to him.
The abductors of Bethel Baptist Church High School students, Kaduna, have confirmed that there are 121 students in their custody. Proprietor of the school, Yahaya Adamu Jangado disclosed this to newsmen on Tuesday, 6, 2021.
Again, at least 19 people have been killed and others missing after gunmen on motorbikes attacked Tsauwa village a second time, in Batsari council area of Katsina State on Monday evening. The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO Gambo Isah confirmed the attack.
Up dates now on bandits that kidnapped the Bethel Baptist Church High School students, Kaduna, states that: Bandits have contacted the school management. It was said that the bandits called today to inform parents that they will not kill any student but that they will die of hunger. To avoid that, parents should deliver the following food items to them tomorrow at a location they will direct:
- 30 bags of rice
- 20 bags of beans
- 15 Jerricans of palm oil
- 20 cartoons of maggi
- 10 bags of salt
They also stated that ransom negotiation will only begin after this delivery.
On July 5, 2021, it was reported soldiers repelled bandits kidnappers at Bishop Oyedepo’s Living Faith School in Kaduna. The gunmen had launched coordinated attacks on both Bethel secondary school and Faith Academy in the early hours of Monday; while they abducted students at Bethel School, the attack on Faith Academy was foiled.
Barely four days after the bandits abducted Bethel students, some residents in the Anguwan Gimbiya area of Kaduna State have been abducted by bandits. According to the report, the bandits stormed the community in large numbers invaded the village around 11 pm on Wednesday, with “sophisticated weapons”. According to a resident who spoke to TheCable, five houses were attacked during the operations by bandits.
Again, while all these are on-going, it’s like there are two governors now in Borno State. ISWAP has successfully conducted a gubernatorial election and sworn in Abba Kaka as Governor of Borno State. Abba Kaka will work with Baba Isa who will serve as Chief Revenue Collector from farmers & fishermen. Also appointed was Abubakar Dan-Buduma as Chief Commander, Timbuktu Region and Ibn Umar, Chief Justice. Others are:
Abu Umama – Amir, Tudun Wulgo.
Maina Mohammed – Commander, Sabon Tunbu.
More appointments are expected in the coming hours.
Borno state now has 2 Governors. They are:
-Babagana Zulum (APC – In Charge of 22 LGAs).
-Governor – Abba Kaka (ISWAP – In Charge of 5 LGAs).
Boko Haram has a parallel government functioning on ground!
Adesanya-Davies decries all these developments agreeing with the Taraba State Governor, Dairus Ishaku who says that the FG kidnapped and arrested foreign Nnamdi Kanu, but couldn’t defeat local bandits – WHAT A SHAME! She added. Instead of beating about the bush and chasing after shadows, harassing and declaring Sunday Igboho wanted, the federal government should dissuade from demonizing and pursuing Kanu and Ighoho.
FG should rather wake up and bring all these notoriety of terrorists and bandits to book, while they as a matter of urgency rescue the innocent Baptist student victims and capture the bandits. It’s unfortunate that Nigeria is already shattered in the hands of the BUHARI-APC led government.
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