From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
About 150 bandits at the weekend stormed Kaya village in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing 19 persons.
The former governor of old Kaduna State, late Balarabe Musa, hailed from Kaya, a border community between Kaduna and Katsina states.
Confirming the incident, the state Commissioner for Internal security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, added that several shops and vehicles were set ablaze by the bandits.
He said 50 motorcycles carrying three bandits with each of them armed with AK47 riffles stormed the village at about 6.30pm, shooting sporadically.
According to Aruwan, “at around 6.30pm yesterday, January 2, 2021, over 50 motorcycles each carrying three-men wielding AK-47 rifles, stormed Kaya town in Giwa Local Government Area and began shooting sporadically.
“Troops of the Nigerian Army and police operatives were quickly deployed to the location, along with an air platform of the Nigerian Air Force.
“The military and other security agencies have informed Kaduna State Government that several lives were lost in a series of killings and counter-killings in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna Central Senatorial District.
“The killings and counter-killings occurred at Kaya community, which shares a boundary with Hayin Kaura village of Dandume Local Government Area of Katsina State.
According to the security brief, the violence began on the January 1, 2021 when armed bandits attacked Kaya town and kidnapped some locals, including two married women.
“The bandits were fiercely pursued by a combined team of volunteers from Kaya, and from Hayin Kaura village of Katsina State, in keeping with their practice of supporting security efforts in their respective communities.
“The bandits in the course of the confrontation kidnapped and killed one Shamsu Umar, a leader of the Kaya volunteers. His body was found on the 2nd of January 2021 after a search operation in the forest.
“On the same day as the recovery of the body, unidentified persons came across some herders, and in apparent retaliation for the killing of Shamsu Umar, killed four of them.
“Sadly, locals numbering eleven were also killed. Three unidentified bodies were also recovered, said to be drivers in transit from from Funtua, Katsina State.