Security agencies have reportedly killed 21 suspected bandits in Danko Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, along with vigilantes and residents.
According to reports, The Council Chairman, Alhaji Hussani Bena, confirmed this in a telephone interview with NAN on Thursday.
He claimed that Danko Wasagu shares a border with Niger State’s Mariga Local Government Area, via which bandits gain entrance to Kebbi.
According to him, the event occurred from Monday to Wednesday, and the bandits entered Tudun Bichi under Wasagu through Mariga, but credible intelligence kept security services, vigilante groups, and villagers on alert, resulting in a successful ambush.
He said that villagers, along with vigilantes, murdered 17 suspected bandits and collected weapons, ammunition, and motorcycles, while two locals were killed.
Bena added that the bandits also moved to Tangaran village and abducted nine farmers working on their farmlands, but all of them were later rescued by combined efforts of security agencies, vigilante and locals at a village called Lugga under Ayu District.
The chairman said a careful watch on the movement of the bandits also resulted in another encounter at Bakin Gulbi village where the combined team killed four bandits, recovered weapons and rescued three kidnapped persons, assuring that the bandits’ movement was being monitored for further action.
He, however, said that the bandits had killed Marafan Mai Inuwa under Kanya District and abducted some people, but were later rescued by the army after killing some of the bandits.
He noted that in line with the directives of the governor: “We have visited Kanya District, where all the displaced persons from the surrounding villages converged and commiserated with the people and presented a message (token) from His Excellency, Kauran Gwandu.”
While commending the gallant efforts of security agencies, vigilante and locals, Bena appealed to people for more support and cooperation towards providing credible intelligence to flush out criminals out of their areas effectively.
The chairman pleaded for more deployment of military personnel at Malekachi village, which remained a transit route for the bandits as well as Dankade village.
He assured that the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs had been briefed on how the ministry should aid the affected victims with palliatives to cushion the effects of the ugly development. (NAN)
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