Over 300 killed, 949 kidnapped in Kaduna in three months

No fewer than 323 persons were killed by bandits and another 949 people kidnapped in Kaduna state between January and March 2021, the state government has revealed on Friday.

This was disclosed by the State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan while presenting the first-quarter security report at the State Security Council meeting held on Friday.

Aruwan also informed the council that some successes were recorded on the part of the security forces, including the killing of hundreds of bandits and recovery of many weapons.

The state Governor Nasir El-Rufai, in his speech at the meeting, decried the spate of kidnapping and banditry in the state, noting that the attacks were getting out of hand.

El-rufai went on to say that the bandits operating in the state were inching closer from rural communities to the cities, where they have attacked innocent citizens in recent times with utmost boldness.

Recall that the Kaduna Governor had reiterated that the state would never surrender to bandits and kidnappers by offering ransom or negotiating with them in the face of incessant abductions in the state.

“Several states sought to negotiate their way out of the problems by talking to bandits, paying them money or offering them amnesty.

“This has not worked and has only encouraged the criminals to press ahead for a surrender of the public treasury to them. That is clearly not in the public interest,” Elrufai said.