How 345 lives were wasted, 468 kidnapped in six months

Bandits

By Clifford Ndujihe

IN the last six months, Zamfara State has remained a beehive of killings and kidnappings on account of banditry and war against the bandits by the security agencies.

Vanguard’s tally and data obtained from the Nigeria Security Tracker, NST, a project of the Council on Foreign Relations’ Africa programme, showed that no fewer than 345 persons were killed in the state between September 2020 and February 2021. Within the period, no fewer than 468 persons including women, children and school girls were abducted by the bandits.

On the average, this indicates that Zamfara records 58 deaths and 78 abducted monthly.

Of the state’s 14 local councils, only Gusau, the capital city, and Bukkuyam, have been spared of the killings and abductions so far.

The most affected local councils are Maru, Talata-Mafara, Maradun, Kaura-Namoda, Shinkafi, Zurmi and Bungudu.

Time line of killings, abductions in Zamfara since Sept 2020

  • September 13: A military air strike killed “several” (estimated at 10) bandits in Birnin-Magaji/Kiyaw
  • September 17: The Nigerian Air Force killed “several” (estimated at 10) bandits in Maru.
  • September 19: Bandits kidnapped 42 people in Maru
  • October 5: Bandits kidnapped six in Maru
  • October 20: Bandits killed 22 in Talata-Mafara.
  • October 25: Suspected bandits kidnapped five in Maru.
  • October 29: Bandits killed four in Maradun.
  • October 29: Bandits killed one and kidnapped 15 in Maru.
  • November 4: One bandit and 2 civilians were killed during a clash in Kaura-Namoda,
  • November 8: Troops killed two bandits in Tsafe.
  • November 11: Bandits killed one and abducted approximately three in Anka.
  • November 20: Bandits killed five and kidnapped 40 at a mosque in Maru.
  • November 21: Nigerian troops killed approximately seven bandits in Shinkafi
  • November 21: Nigerian troops killed six bandits in Maru.
  • November 22: Nigerian troops killed one bandit in Zurmi.
  • November 30: Bandits killed one traditional ruler and kidnapped eight in Talata-Mafara,
  • December 3: Electoral violence resulted in two deaths in Bakura.
  • December 5: Bandits killed four people in Talata-Mafara.
  • December 17: Kidnappers abducted five in Kaura-Namoda
  • January 5: Kidnappers struck at Kaduari village in Maru LGA and kidnapped six children
  • January 9: Nigerian troops killed 50 bandits in Kaura-Namode
  • January 17: 35 bandits were killed by troops of the Operation Hadarin Daji in different encounters in Zamfara and Katsina states.
  • January 17: Bandits killed 10 including one soldier, and five bandits were killed in Maradun,
  • January 17: Nigerian troops killed 30 bandits and lost one soldier in Bungudu
  • January 18: Bandits killed 35 in Maru
  • January 21: Bandits killed 13 and kidnapped 11 in Bungudu
  • January 21: Yansakai, an outlawed vigilante group, killed two herdsmen in Maradun
  • January 24: Bandits killed seven in Maradun.
  • January 26: Bandits killed three in Zurmi.
  • January 28: Bandits attacked Magarya, a community in Zurmi LGA, killing three persons, burning several houses and rustling 100 cattle.
  • February 3: Nigerian troops killed 32 bandits in Shinkafi
  • February 5: Nigerian troops killed 20 bandits in Shinkafi
  • February 15: Seven children were killed by a leftover explosive device in Maradun,
  • February 25: Bandits killed nine in Maru LGA.
  • February 26: No fewer than 317 students of Government Science Secondary School, Jangebe, Talata Mafata LGA were abducted by bandits
  • February 28: Gunmen slit the throats of father and his two sons after a raid on their residence near Agama Lafiya community in Tsafe LGA.

Vanguard News Nigeria

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