- Abduct army captain, three others in Ondo
John Shiklam in Kaduna, James Sowole in Akure and George Okoh in Makurdi
No fewer than 12 people have been reportedly killed following fresh attacks on three communities in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State and Tse-Haaga in Mbabai Council Ward of Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
An army captain and three others have also been abducted by gunmen along Auga/Akunnu road in Akoko North East Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The Kaduna killings came barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the killing of 17 people in the early hours of Tuesday by suspected herdsmen who attacked Gonan-Rogo village, also in Kajuru LGA.
The latest attack, according to the President of the Adara Development Association (ADA), Mr. Awema Maisamari, took place in Bakin- Kogi, Idanu and Makyali communities.
He said the attack on Makyali community took place at about 7 am yesterday, leading to the killing of seven people while the attacks on Bakin Kogi and Idanu took place on Tuesday at 7 pm.
Maisamari, who said the attackers killed five people on the spot, added that two additional corpses were later recovered in the bush.
He said in Idanu, one person was killed and two others were injured while in Bakin Kogi, no life was lost as the villagers escaped, but their houses were burnt.
He said: “The situation as at this morning is that the terrorists attacked three other settlements near Gonan- Rogo village, which was attacked in the early hours of Tuesday and 17 people were killed.
“In one of the communities called Bakin Kogi, the villagers escaped but several houses were burnt down. At the second village called Idanu, one person was killed and two others were injured. The attacks in Idanu and Bakin Kogi took place on Tuesday at 7 pm.
“At a village called Makyali along Kachia road, seven people were killed when the community came under attack this morning (Wednesday) around 7 am.
“Five people were killed on the spot; two corpses were later recovered in the bush. Some people also sustained injuries.”
The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Muhammad Jalige, did not respond to a text message sent to him on the incidents.
Also, suspected herdsmen yesterday killed four persons and injured three at Tse-Haaga, Mbabai Council Ward of Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
A resident of the area, Mr. Clement Haaga, told THISDAY that the herdsmen came on four motorbikes in the evening and opened fire on the residents, killing one person on the spot while five others sustained various degrees of injuries.
He explained that two of the injured persons died while being conveyed to the hospital while the remaining three were still receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
Those killed were: Samuel Torndiir Ngbea, David Hileyem Ngbea, Mbagwen Alakali Haaga and Utsuwa Ugber.
Those injured were Sylvanus Jir Akera, Wasem Akirga, Lydia Karshima and Mnena Torndiir.
Reacting to the report, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Catherine Anene, said the attack took place but the state police command was still waiting for a briefing from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) on the ground in the area.
Gunmen Abduct Army Captain, Three Others in Ondo
An army captain identified as D. Gana and three others were on Tuesday abducted by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers along Auga/Akunnu road in Akoko North East Local Government area of Ondo State.
The army captain was said to be travelling from Abuja with three others when the incident happened.
According to a source, the hoodlums stopped the vehicle on the high way and dragged them into the bush.
The source said the hoodlums did not pick any item from the vehicle but left the doors of the vehicle opened after taking the victims away.
He added that the abductors had contacted the family of the victims, demanding N20 million for their release.
The source said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ikare Division, had deployed a squad in the area to rescue the victims.
It was learnt that the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, based in Akure, had mobilised its men to the area to comb the bush with a view to rescuing the victims and apprehending the culprits.
Confirming the abduction, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Mr. Tee-Leo Ikoro, said the incident happened along Auga/Akunnu road around 4 am on Tuesday.
He explained that the command had been briefed while the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Undie Adie, had ordered detectives from the command to search the forest for the kidnappers in a bid to rescue the officer.
The PPRO said an intensive investigation into the incident had begun and urged anybody with information that could lead to the arrest of the criminals to send it to the police.
