John Shiklam in Kaduna
One person was killed while many others, including final-year students of a Junior Secondary School were abducted when gunmen invaded Damba-Kasaya community in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna.
The bandits were said to have arrived the community at about 8am, yesterday, riding on motorcycles.
They were said to have abducted many of the villagers before storming Prince Academy, to abduct Junior Secondary School (JSS3), students who were receiving lessons, preparatory for their final examinations.
One of the villagers was reportedly killed when they were pursuing the bandits.
A resident of the community, Bawa Wakili, said the bandits came in a large number “like they always do,” and were shooting sporadically.
The bandits also destroyed musical and public address system worth thousands of naira in Aminchi Baptist Church, located in the community.
Wakili who lamented the security situation in rural communities, said he relocated to Damba-Kasaya a couple of months ago after herdsmen sacked his village -Rumana Gbagyi also in Chikun LGA.
“They abducted many people in the village before they went to Prince Academy and abducted many of the students who were receiving lessons for their JSS3 examinations.
“I cannot say how many people were kidnapped, but they went away with many people,” he said.
According to him, “Soldiers who came to the rescue, turned back after some few kilometres, leaving some of the villagers who accompanied them to rescue the victims.
“The villagers, not knowing that the soldiers had withdrawn, kept pursuing the bandits in the bush; the bandits fired at them and one person was killed”.
The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mohammed Jalige, could not be reached as his mobile phone was switched off.
Chikun is one of the LGAs in Kaduna State, ravaged by bandits.
Many communities in the LGA have been sacked by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
