Kaduna is one of the North West states that has been battling with high wave of insecurity, especially banditry and cattle rustling in some local government areas of the state.
Series of attacks by bandits between November 2022 and May 2023 have been making life unbearable for residents of Kuchimi, Taka-Lafiya, Gidan Makeri, Kuku, Janjala, Iddo, amongst other villages in Kagarko Local Government Area of the state, where scores of residents were abducted and lives lost.
As the reported cases of abduction and killings of innocent lives continues unabated, troops from Kaduna stormed and raided Janjala community in Kagarko LGA where they arrested 11 persons, including Madaki of the village – Aliyu Ibrahim, suspected to be the bandits’ informants.
However, on Sunday, May 7, 2023, Unguwar Rimi in Kagarko town was thrown into pandemonium as bandits invaded the residence of the Emir of Kagarko, His Royal Highness (HRH) Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, and whisked away his three daughters and five grand children, alongside five of his subjects, at gunpoint.
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Gunmen invade Kagarko emir’s house, abduct 7 grandchildren, 6 others
The abducted daughters of the emir are Hassana Sa’adu, 15; Hafsat Sa’adu, 14; and Halima Sa’adu, 13.
Among the emir’s abducted grandchildren were Lawal Sa’adu, 13; Sani Sa’adu, 9; Tijjani Sa’adu, 14; Yusuf G. Sa’adu, 15; and Khadijat A. Sa’adu, 8, while the emir’s neighbours who were abducted include Abdullahi Yakubu, Mu’ubatu Shuaibu, Mangati Kyauta, Alliyu Shuaibu and Abba Maitala.
However, the Galadima of Kagarko, Alhaji Sa’ad Suleiman, while speaking exclusively with Daily Trust Saturday at the emir’s palace on the incident, said it happened around 10.30pm on Sunday.
He said the bandits, who were over 100 and wielding AK 47-rifles, surrounded the entire house while some invaded the emir’s room through the window after they used axes and daggers to destroy the burglary proof.
According to him, “the bandits first demanded for money from the emir, to which the emir told them he had none. One of the bandits threatened to kill him if he refused to give them money.
“When the emir still stood his ground that he had no money, they went to where his three daughters and five grand children were sleeping, woke them up and took them away,” he said.
Suleiman added that the bandits proceeded to one of the emir’s wives’ room, Maryam Sa’ad, and took her also. He said the bandits later ordered her to go back home after they discovered that she couldn’t walk fast as they were leading the victims out of the house.
The emir, who also spoke with our reporter, attributed the invasion of his house by the bandits to a reprisal on his family, saying “Yes, it is a reprisal attack on me by the bandits because two weeks ago, troops from Kaduna State raided Janjala community where some suspected informants were arrested. I believe the bandits were not happy that their informants were arrested,” the emir said.
The emir, however, said the palace had written a report about the attack, even as he said the Police Area Commander, DPO State Security Services came to his palace after the incident.
“But, it is quite unfortunate that the Kagarko Local Government chairman, Nasara Rabo, who is the chief security officer has neither visited nor sent any delegation to this palace since the incident happened on Sunday,” the monarch said.
Also speaking, the Wambai of Janjala, Adamu Jamilu, said bandits while passing through the community burgled five shops and carted away provisions, money, drinks and food stuffs as well as drugs from a patent medicine store in the area.
He said the bandits proceeded to a Fulani settlement in the community and shot a herder after snatching his motorcycle from him to enable them convey items stolen from shops in the area.
According to him, the bandits usually park their motorcycle across River Gurara near Taka-Lafiya neighbouring village, before crossing over to carry out their attack on villagers.
“I want to appeal to the government to deploy troops along the area because that is the same route they always pass with their victims,” he said.
On his part, the Kagarko Emirate palace secretary, Yahaya Ibrahim, said the palace had written to the state police commissioner and commander of the army requesting for deployment of security not only at the palace but across villages in the chiefdom in order to tackle activities of bandits terrorising residents in the area.
“Even though some security agents, including army, came to this palace that Sunday morning as a result of the incident, the palace has written a letter requesting for guards,” he said.
The chairman of Kagarko LGA, Nasara Rabo, did not pick calls or reply to text message sent to his phone in order to get his reaction over the incident.
Also, the Kaduna State Police spokesman DSP Muhammed Jalige did not answer calls at the time of filing this report.
