Security personnel, community leaders dismiss viral video of “bandits” in Kaduna 

Community leaders and security agents in Kaduna State have dismissed a viral video that surfaced online on Sunday which insinuated that soldiers had killed and arrested some bandits in the Kakura area of Chikun Local Government Area of the State.

Daily Trust gathered that the alleged suspects who were being pushed into a military van were not bandits, instead, they are Fulani resident of a nearby community who became victims of a mistaken identity when some vigilante groups attacked them while trailing bandits.

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It was also gathered that after security agents rescued them, two hospitals in Kaduna rejected them even though many of them were critically injured. Soldiers were said to have rushed them to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference hospital where three were confirmed dead and 17 are being treated.  

After a peace meeting between Fulani, Hausa and Gbagi people in Kaduna on Sunday, the State Commissioner of Police, Yekini Ayoku said that what happened in Kakura community was a case of mistaken identity following the killing of one Ishaya Karfe, a brother of the village head of Kakura.

He said bandits had tried to abduct Karfe who resisted and was shot dead. The CP said the bandits had equally rustled some cows in a nearby Fulani settlement adding that while members of the vigilante from Kakura were trailing the bandits, they came in contact with the Fulani community who were trailing their rustled cows.

He said the vigilante, fearing the Fulani community were bandits then attacked them adding that it took the intervention of security agents to rescue the situation. He confirmed that three Fulani residents were killed and 17 others are presently hospitalised.

Also speaking, the District Head of Kujama, Steven Yarima Ibrahim under which Kakura falls on Sunday confirmed that those who appeared to be bundled into a military van where not bandits but members of a nearby Fulani community who were equally victims of a banditry attack.

The district head said there was a need to admonish members of the vigilante to desist from taking laws into their hands and to instead, invite security agents when they suspect any anomaly.  

The Ardo of Gunduma, Ibrahim Saleh in Chikun LGA said they have spoken to their people to calm them that what happened was a case of mistaken identity and urged residents not to take laws into their hands.