In a alarming incident, bandits have reportedly overwhelmed and sacked five villages—Unguwan Tauka, Unguwan Lalle, Sonudazuwa, Tsauni Dodo, and Dandauka—located in the Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State. A local community leader confirmed the attacks, noting that the events unfolded on Thursday evening around 6 PM when armed bandits invaded the villages, causing panic among residents.
The bandits, operating with large numbers and heavy weaponry, forced villagers to flee amidst continuous gunfire. During this rampage, they also invaded a Fulani settlement in Kubuwo village, abducting three teenage herders.
The community leader explained that the daytime assault likely stemmed from the bandits’ attempts to escape the onslaught of military operations occurring around the nearby Kurutu-Azara forest, which borders Kagarko LGA. While fleeing, the bandits set fire to a vehicle and a motorcycle in Unguwar Tauka after troops thwarted an attempted abduction of local residents.
An eyewitness detailed the fear that gripped the area, mentioning that a man whose vehicle had just been purchased in Kaduna managed to escape the bandits’ attacks just as they arrived, resulting in his car being burned. “Upon seeing the bandits, he alighted from the car and escaped, and the bandits set the car and a bike ablaze,” the source reported.
A member of the local vigilante group who asked to remain anonymous corroborated the account of the attack, adding that soldiers are currently pursuing the fleeing bandits. The Kaduna State Police Command has also confirmed the occurrence of the attacks but directed further inquiries to their headquarters in Kaduna for detailed information. Attempts to reach the command’s spokesman, ASP Hassan Mansur, have been unsuccessful.
This incident underscores the ongoing insecurity challenges faced by communities in Kaduna State, with banditry and violent attacks becoming distressingly frequent. The situation calls for urgent attention and effective measures to ensure the safety and security of residents in affected regions.
