Bandits Kill 11 In Kaduna As Suspected Herdsmen Launch Fresh Attack On Ebonyi Community

Armed bandits launched a deadly attack on Tsohuwan Gayan village in Kaduna State’s Chikun Local Government Area on Tuesday night, killing four residents.

Two others sustained injuries and were rushed to an undisclosed hospital in Kaduna town for treatment.

A local source who assisted in the burial of the victims described the assailants as heavily armed and executing a well-coordinated assault.

According to the source, the victims’ bodies were riddled with bullets, and two survivors, initially presumed dead, were later found to be alive after the attackers had left.

Residents of the village remain in fear of a potential return by the assailants, who accused them of collaborating with security forces.

A similar attack occurred last Friday in Zakada village, Kauru Local Government Area, where heavily armed bandits killed seven locals and abducted several others.

A distraught resident of Kauru, Muhammad Sani, confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters.

It was also reported that several houses were set ablaze and properties looted by the armed assailants.

According to sources, there is an alleged media blackout on violent crimes in the area to avoid contradicting government claims of a peace agreement with bandits.

Wave of Kidnappings and Rising Fear

On Sunday, February 2, it was reported that residents of Fadan Ruruma in Kumana Chiefdom, Kauru Local Government Area, fled their homes following the abduction of 17 people.

The victims were taken during a recent attack on the community, as confirmed by the Community Development Associations’ (CDAs) forum.

Condemning the attack, the forum’s Public Relations Officer, Daniel D. Achi, urged authorities to take immediate steps to strengthen security in the area.

The statement described the incident as part of ongoing attacks, kidnappings, and killings targeting innocent civilians.

According to the forum, “People are being attacked and kidnapped almost daily without fear.”

The worsening insecurity has forced many residents to abandon their homes and farmlands, leaving crops unharvested.

Fresh Attacks in Ebonyi State

In another development, suspected herdsmen carried out a fresh assault on villages in the Nkalaha community of Ishielu Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, triggering widespread panic and displacement.

The latest attack occurred just three days after an assault on Amegu village, which left at least 16 people dead and 25 houses destroyed.

Amid the escalating violence, residents of Amaokwe, Umeleha, and Amegu villages have been fleeing to neighboring areas such as Amazezegba and Nigercem.

It was learned that the Wednesday attack began shortly after a team of police officers and operatives from the state security outfit, Ebube-Agu, had visited the community.

The exact cause of the latest attack remains unclear, but gunfire was still ongoing at the time of reporting.

A local resident, Samuel Edeze, who was stranded in Amazezegba due to the crisis, recounted his experience.

“I went to Nkalagu this morning, and on my return, I saw hundreds of residents fleeing their homes. I was stuck at Amazezegba, from where I am calling you now. People said that as soon as security operatives left the community, gunshots started in Amaokwe and Umeleha villages. Our people, who had already fled to those villages, are now running again,” he said.

Edeze described the situation as dire, noting that even officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), who were en route to deliver relief materials to Amegu village, had to retreat for safety.

He appealed to the Ebonyi State government to take decisive action, stressing that protecting lives and property should be a top priority.

Police Response and Arrests

Efforts to obtain a response from the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or messages at the time of reporting.

However, in a statement issued earlier on Wednesday, Ukandu revealed that the police had recovered key evidence related to Sunday’s attack on Amegu Nkalaha community.

Authorities also apprehended a suspect, Maduabuchi Chimaobi Ebeh, while he was attempting to flee the community.

With the help of local residents, the suspect was captured at the border between Nkalaha and Eha-Amufu and handed over to the Isi-Uzo police division.

The statement read, “Upon interrogation, the suspect provided the names of others involved in the attack. Based on this information, our operatives raided the hideout of the perpetrators.

“During the operation, other suspects managed to escape, but exhibits recovered include three locally made single-barreled guns, a police uniform, a pair of jungle boots, a pair of army camouflage shorts, and combat trousers.

“We are actively pursuing the fleeing suspects and continuing our investigation. We urge anyone with useful information to come forward.”