Bandits Free 13, Kill Two, Raze Church

By AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

After a fierce gun duel in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, troops rescued 13 kidnapped persons from bandits, the state government said yesterday.

The rescue after the bandits had razed a church and killed two persons at‘Tanadi Farm’, around Bakin Kasuwa in Gwagwada area  of the council

Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan confirmed the development in a statement yesterday.

Arunwa said in the statement: “Troops have reported the rescue of 13 kidnapped persons from bandits in Gwagwada, Chikun Local Government Area.

“The 13 victims from Dutse went to work on a farm called `Tanadi Farm’, which is located around Bakin Kasuwa in Gwagwada general area of Chikun Local Government Area.

“They were attacked by the bandits in the process. Troops on receiving credible intelligence on the abduction, trailed the bandits to a forest near Bana village and engaged them in a gun duel. The 13 victims were thus rescued.”

The commissioner said after the operations, the troops discovered that the bandits had shot dead two volunteers before their arrival.

According to him, the bandits also burnt a church and looted some houses in the area, adding that Governor Nasir El-Rufai thanked the troops and commended them for the successful rescue operation.

Arunwa said: “He (governor) also commiserated with the families of the deceased volunteers, and prayed for the repose of their souls.

“The governor also extended his sympathy to the leadership and members of the razed church over the unfortunate attack.

“He directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to conduct an immediate assessment of the damage.”

– The Nation