Kaduna Communities In Lere, Kauru LGAs Allege Being Under Constant Attacks By Bandits

...PPRO Says Scores Of Bandits Arrested, Solicits Information From Public

…Residents Say In Garun-Kurama, Many Kidnapped, Killed, No Help In Sight

By; TOM GARBA, Garu

The prevailing rate of bandit attacks that are going unabated is causing sleepless nights to the members of communities in Lere and Kauru local government areas.

Recently, Garun-Kurama, Kahugu, Ungwan Kerau, and Mariri in the Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State have been under attacks of the bandits, kidnapping people indiscriminately for ransom.

A resident of Garun-Kurama, a suburb town of Saminaka who prefers to be anonymous for fear of being kidnapped, said recently the wife of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chairman of the Lere Local Government Area, was kidnapped and a whopping undisclosed amount of money was said to have been paid as ransom.

He said the APC chieftain, Mr. Jonathan Shekarau Ukissa, who is well known as Ba’are has been experiencing attacks by the men of the underworld in recent times.

According to him, some months ago, his eldest son was also kidnapped and spent days in the custody of the kidnappers until money was paid for his release.

He expressed worries that the kidnappers are more deadly as the younger brother to Kaduna State former deputy speaker and a lecturer with the Kaduna State University, Professor Matoh Dari Dogara was kidnapped and killed within a few hours.

He said last week, another person was kidnapped and still under their custody as ransom negotiation is still ongoing and his fate to come out alive is uncertain.

“I’m afraid they may kill the man because truly there is no one to help him with the ransom and the kidnappers have been threatening to kill him if nothing is done,” he said.

This medium also gathered that Damakasuwa and Bakin Kogi communities in Kauru LGA are also facing the myriad of attacks of kidnappers.

Another person who also prefers to be anonymous, said people in Damakasuwa are now more of refugees, leaving the town at dusk and coming in the wee hours over fear of being kidnapped.

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He revealed that the kidnappers are using people within the communities as their informants to leak information about who has farmed well and started bringing farm produce home.

It would be recalled that Yadin Garun Kurama was where some Catholic priests were kidnapped and killed two years ago.

They expressed worries that the insecurity challenges in the areas are rampant, despite having the Commissioner of Environment, Hon Abubakar Buba who was Lere’s former council chairman and close to the government of Kaduna State.

“All complaints are falling on deaf ears, we don’t seem to have leaders with political will, all they care about is to amass wealth for personal gains.

“Our House of Representatives member, Engr Manir is doing nothing about it too.

“God will judge them, I’m suspecting a foul play of the government too. They are complacent about all the activities going around our communities.

“We are afraid and we are in a dilemma, You dare not bring back your farm produce home, you can be the next victim,” they lamented.

This is coming when the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu recently addressed stakeholders on issues of insecurity that the present government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing everything possible to secure the country, despite inheriting many leadership liabilities.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kadunà State Command, ASP Mansur Hassan said that their men are on ground dealing heavy blows on criminal elements and bandits.

“It is not true anywhere in Kaduna State is under siege. Our men are everywhere dealing with the bandits. If you check the papers today, you will see that over 30 bandits and kidnappers were arrested.

“We are doing our best, we solicit credible information from the general public to rid the state of criminals. If anyone has credible information, he should bring it to our notice,” he said.