Bandits have abducted over 500 persons and sacked 50 villages in Zamfara State. They also killed five persons, including two police personnel, on Monday, according to a House of Representatives from the state, Bello Shinkafi.

This was as the military high command, yesterday, confirmed the killing of four soldiers attached to Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD).

In Maiduguri, Borno State, the eldest son of Mamman Nur, founder of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), Mahmud, 22, on Sunday, surrendered to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Kogi State Government has announced the rescue of six more Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) students, bringing the number of kidnapped students that have been rescued, so far, to 20.

Shinkafi, who represents Zurmi/Shinkafi Federal Constituency, told journalists that terrorists had overrun many communities in his constituency.

According to him, the bandits strike at will, not minding the time of the day or night; to kill, maim and abduct people. This has forced survivors to scamper to safer communities.

“On Monday, they killed five persons, including two policemen, in broad daylight at Gidan Shaho in Nassarawa district. They also abducted over 30 persons there. As we speak, those abducted have not been completely accounted for,” Shinkafi said.

He stressed the need to re-strategise to tackle the menace of bandits in the North West states.

Efforts to get police confirmation of the incidents were unsuccessful, as the phone line of the police spokesperson, ASP Yazid Abubakar, could not be reached.

Yesterday, the Director, Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj-Gen Edward Buba, clarified that the military recorded four casualties contrary to five reported in the media.

Buba explained that there were two ambushes and that five soldiers in the process of defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria sustained minor injuries in the second operation.

“Though the troops fought fiercely to extricate themselves from the situation, they recorded four fatalities, while three were wounded in action in the first ambush.”

Lake Chad Basin counter-terrorism and insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, revealed that Mahmud was confirmed to be the eldest son of the late ISWAP founder, after undergoing profiling at the Headquarters of NSCDC in Maiduguri.

The sources said the command had facilitated his surrender through his uncle in Gamborun Ngala after receiving information that he was willing to formally surrender to the Nigerian government.

The sources added that a reliable agent was sent to convey him and they arrived in Maiduguri on May 11, about 1.00 pm.

“He confessed to having taken part in attacks in Bama, Banki, Gwoza and other places as a middle-rank fighter under Boko Haram. He was handed over to Bulunkutu rehabilitation facility for further documentation and custody,” the source said.

Kogi Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, said by the data available to the government, there were about four students yet to be accounted for.

He said the fierce gun battle between security agents and the kidnappers forced the latter to succumb to superior firepower and abandon the hostages, adding that some of the kidnappers escaped with injuries.

Fanwo noted: “Nine students had been rescued first, while five others were found the following morning. The families of the six rescued students have confirmed that the students have arrived home.”

According to him, Governor Ahmed Ododo expressed deep appreciation to the joint forces that carried out the operations, urging them to continue the search until the last student is found.

He added: “We wish to assure the public that the security architecture around our schools has been recalibrated for efficiency and early warning alarm to prevent future occurrence.” (The Guardian)

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