At least 1,266 people were killed in bandit/terrorist attacks and community clashes between last year and the first quarter of 2023 in Kaduna State. Out of the total figure, 1,052 deaths were recorded in 2022 alone, and between January 2023 and March 2023, 214 deaths.
During this period, 4,973 were kidnapped people in the last 15 months in this state.
The figures were released yesterday by Kaduna state’s Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan.
Arwan, who submitted the state’s security reports to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, added that 12 women, including 10 minors, had been raped by the bandits.
El Rufai expressed concern and “pain” over the loss and prayed –
“for the repose of the souls” of the deceased.
Aruwan further added that in 15 months under study, 717 bandits were neutralized. This included 628 killed by the military in 2022 and 89 in the first quarter of 2023.
The commissioner said-
“In Kaduna Central Senatorial District, 115 deaths were recorded (54 per cent of the total). 108 of these occurred in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Chikun and Kajuru Local Government Areas(LGAs).
“Giwa and Birnin Gwari LGAs each recorded 32 deaths, Chikun LGA 25, Igabi LGA 13, and Kajuru LGA six deaths in the first quarter of 2023.”
He added that Southern Kaduna Senatorial District recorded 61 deaths in the period under review.
According to him, the pattern of attacks, reprisals, and deadly communal and inter-ethnic clashes-
“came to play in Zangon Kataf LGA, where 19 people died. 12 persons were killed in Sanga LGA during the first three months of 2023″.
“The Northern Senatorial District recorded 38 people killed in the first quarter and 22 deaths occurring in Zaria LGA.
cc: The Nations Ng
