Kaduna State has been a nest of killings and kidnappings by bandits, with more than 101 persons including 12 security guards and 6 vigilantes killed and 42 people kidnapped between January 1 and March 24, 2023, according to the National Security Tracker, NST.
Vanguard’s checks put the figures at 125 deaths, 82 kidnapped
The figures marked an improvement in the number of deaths and those abducted within the same period in 2022.
The figure excludes those killed or kidnapped between March 24 to April 11.
In the first three months of 2022, bandits killed more than 287 people and 356 were kidnapped in Kaduna state.
According to Vanguard, these are the timeline of killings and kidnappings in Kaduna since January 2023;
1st Jan: Bandits abducted two in Kagarko.
2nd-3rd Jan: Troops killed four bandits in Giwa
9th Jan: Bandits killed 12 security operatives in Birnin-Gwari.
11th Jan: Bandits killed two and abducted four in Igabi.
14th Jan: Police officers killed one bandit in Igabi.
16th Jan: Troops killed two bandits in Chikun.
17th Jan: Jan 18: Six people were killed while several others were injured in an attempt to apprehend kidnappers who abducted two residents of Zonkwa in Zangon Kataf LGA.
23rd Jan: Troops killed three bandits in Chikun.
25th Jan: Bandits killed five in Chikun
3rd Feb: Gunmen killed two in Lere.
9th Feb: Troops killed four bandits in Birnin-Gwari.
16th Feb: Troops killed seven bandits in Chikun
19th Feb: Bandits abducted two in Giwa, Kaduna.
22nd Feb: Troops killed five bandits in Birnin-Gwari.
1st March: Bandits killed one and abducted 23 in Kagarko.
3rd March: Troops killed one bandit in Chikun, Kaduna.
5th March: Nigerian Air Force (NAF) airstrikes killed three civilians in Giwa.
7th March: Bandits killed six vigilantes in Birnin-Gwari
10th March: Bandits killed one and abducted four in Lere.
11th March: Bandits killed 17 in Zangon Kataf.
13th March: Police officers killed one bandit in Giwa.
14th March: Bandits killed 10 in Zangon Kataf.
16th March: Security operatives killed five Shi’ites in Igabi
23rd March: Bandits killed one and abducted three in Kajuru.
cc: Vanguard Ng
