Not less than 11 persons are reported dead in a village in Kajuru Local Government Area after bandits struck in the early hours of Tuesday.
The attack on Gonan Rogo attack near Doka came about 12 midnight, initial reports said.
The attack is coming barely after security forces neutralised 17 bandits after a joint clearance raid at suspected bandits’ hideouts around Mashigi Galbi, Damba Community and Kabarasha Villlages, all located in Gwagwada District of Chikun Local Government Area in Kaduna State.
The forces consisted of troops of Operations THUNDER STRIKE and WHIRL PUNCH with air support from the Air Component of Operation GAMA AIKI.
Major General John Enenche, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters in Abuja said in a statement: “During the operation, Seventeen (17) armed bandits were neutralized, while several others escaped with gun shot wounds.
He admitted that in the course of pursuing the bandits, three empty houses and a Church building were damaged at Kabarasha Village but added that there was no civilian casualty.
Enenche said calm had returned to the area, while some villagers who fled had returned, adding that a panel had set up to look into the damage to property
Last Sunday, the Kaduna State Government praised the Nigerian military for mounting successful operations against bandits in Chikun, Igabi, Giwa and Birnin Gwari local government areas and other locations.
In a statement issued by Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, the government noted that the Air force operation which occurred on Thursday and Friday was successful.
The Commissioner said that the operation ’’successfully neutralized many bandits in Chikun local government while working on other targets,’’ adding that the State Government has been briefed.
‘’During operations against bandits in a nearby location last Thursday, munitions aimed at the criminals partly damaged an Assemblies of God Church building in Kabarasha Village in Chikun local government. No civilian casualty was recorded in the incidence,’’ he noted.
The statement said that Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has ‘’directed the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs to assess the situation and present a report so that the damage to the church can be repaired.’’
‘’The Commissioner and his team are engaging critical stakeholders on the matter and will soon report progress to the Governor,’’ the statement added.
Aruwan noted that the overall success of the joint military operation ‘’ will help boost the confidence of farmers to till their land and avert the peril of food insecurity and impoverishment of citizens that the impunity of the bandits may unleash.’’
The statement maintained that a combined military teams of Operation Thunder Strike, Operation Whirl Punch and Nigerian Air Force’s Operation Gama Aiki, comprising units from the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army, are presently carrying out joint operations against armed bandits in the state.