Two policemen, three bandits and
scores of residents in Kaduna State at the weekend were killed after the
bandits stormed a wedding ceremony in the state.
The incident took place in Kakangi
village, Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The gunmen were also said to have
set some houses ablaze in the village, leaving the villagers in disarray before
the intervention of the police.
The Kaduna State Police Command,
while confirming the incident, said that two policemen and three bandits died
when the police engaged the gunmen in a gun battle.
The Chairman of the Birnin -Gwari
Vanguard for Security and Good Governance, Ibrahim Abubakar Nagwari in a
statement explained that the bandits stormed the village, shooting, killing and
burning houses in Kakangi village, south-west of Birnin-Gwari.
Nagwari stated: "The bandits
stormed Kakangi at about 5.00 pm on a motorcycle, shooting sporadically at the
police station before moving from house to house, attacking and torching
houses."
Nagwari said: “An escapee, who right
now is at Gagumi about 20 kilometers from Kakangi said they were sitting in
front of the police station when the bandits started shooting. He said that he
jumped through the fence to escape. Several sources close to the area said that
many people were feared dead, including high profile indigenes of Kakangi, who were
attending a mass wedding. Many communities, particularly along Birnin-Gwari
-Funtua road had now deserted their homes and took refuge in Birnin-Gwari and
elsewhere."
However, confirming the incident on
Sunday, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Yakubu Sabo
said: "We received a distress call through the Divisional Police Officer
(DPO) Randagi on April 6, at about 7: pm, armed men in large number entered
Kakangi village of Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area, a neighbouring community
to Niger State, shooting sporadically and then attacked the villagers. The
combine teams of Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel, conventional police and vigilante
members, who were quickly mobilised to the village, engaged the bandits in a fierce
gun duel and successfully repelled the bandits."
Sabo further said: “Our gallant men
gunned down three of the bandits and several others escaped into the bush with
bullet wounds. However, two of our men paid the supreme price during the
battle. Inspector Aliyu Mohammed and sergeant Rabiu Abubakar, both attached to
Randagi division, while sergeant Ibrahim Nasir along with six civilians were
injured and are now receiving treatment at the General Hospital Birnin - Gwari.
The attackers also torched some houses in the village."
According to Sabo, the command has
mobilized more reinforcement to the area with a view to apprehend the
perpetrators and bring them to justice. He noted that the State’s commissioner
of police, Ahmad Abdurrahman has condemned the attack and assured members of
the public that the command would fish out the culprits.
He however appealed to the good
citizens of the state to support the police with prompt and relevant
information that could help in getting rid of the bandits in the state.
"The CP prayed for the repose
of the souls of the gallant officers who lost their lives in the operation and
quick recovery of the injured persons," disclosed Sabo.
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