• Security operatives rescue kidnap victims from terrorists in Kaduna
• Borno CP, DSS boss charge clerics to preach peace at Ramadan
• Plateau communities protest against insecurity
Gunmen, on Tuesday evening, attacked a mosque in Bali Jali village, Bali Local Council of Taraba State, and abducted Muslim faithful, who were breaking their Ramadan fast.
Residents said the bandits had wreaked havoc in the community before heading for the mosque, where they shot sporadically and took away their victims.
Confirming the incident, yesterday, spokesperson for Taraba State Police Command, Usman Abdullahi, said one person was confirmed dead, seven missing, while many suffered gunshot wounds.
He added that the police held “a crucial meeting” with stakeholders from the communities, which will aid the arrest of the bandits and the eventual release of those kidnapped.
“The command is aware of the attack, and this morning, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), local council chairman and other stakeholders within that area had a crucial meeting to map out ways of tracing the kidnappers and getting those people rescued. Officially, one was killed and seven were kidnapped,” he said.
SECURITY operatives in Kaduna State have engaged terrorists, who invaded two communities, in fierce gun battle and rescued many kidnap victims.
Journalists, who reside in Barakallahu community, Igabi Local Council, had, as early as 1.45am on Wednesday, sent distress calls and messages to various security platforms before the military and police stormed the area and engaged the terrorists in gun duel.
In a statement yesterday, police spokesman in the state, ASP Mohammed Jalige, said that terrorists invaded two communities on Tuesday and the early hours of yesterday.
“On April 5, 2022, the Kaduna Police Command received a report through the DPO, Buruku, that a distress call was received to the effect that unspecified number of armed bandits had blocked the Buruku/Birnin Gwari road around Kwanan Ruwa village of Chikun Local Council in their desperate attempt to kidnap commuters.
“Operatives were immediately mobilised to the area and upon sighting the operatives, the bandits started shooting in an effort to whisk away their victims. The operatives tactically engaged them and forced them to retreat into the nearby bush, abandoning their victims, which the officers rescued unhurt,” Jalige said.
THE Borno State Police Command and Directorate of State Services (DSS) have charged Islamic clerics to preach peaceful coexistence during Ramadan.
The Commissioner of Police, Abdu Umar, gave the charge, yesterday, in Maiduguri during a stakeholders’ meeting to regulate preaching in mosques and other public functions.
“This stakeholders’ meeting is inevitable for preachers to be reminded and abide by the existing law on preaching passed in 2010 by the state government,” he said, noting that “it is mandatory for preachers to obtain licences before embarking on the activities, including preaching during the Ramadan fast.”
MEANWHILE, the Coalition of Ethnic Youth Nationalities from Plateau North Senatorial Zone, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Plateau State chapter, youth and women wings, yesterday, gathered at the Government House to protest against the recent killings in Bassa communities.
Several communities had, in the past few days, come under attack by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen in Bassa local government council of the state.
Led by the National President of the Irigwe Youth Movement (IYM), Ezekiel Bini, the residents called on government to show commitment to security.
Bini said the continuous killings have forced the Irigwe people and other groups on Plateau to come out in protest to let the government and the world know what is going on the need to put an immediate stop to the situation.
Addressing the protesters, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Danladi Atu, stated that the state government was working on resolving the killings in Irigwe land, to bring lasting peace to the communities
guardian.