50 killed in Zamfara attacks, as IGP appears before Senate

Acting Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, is expected to appear before the Senate at the hallowed chambers in Abuja today to brief lawmakers on the disturbing spate of killings, banditry, and kidnappings in the country.

His appearance followed disturbing voices raised at the National Assembly a few weeks ago over the raging state of insecurity in virtually all parts of the country and the inability of security agencies, especially the police, to contain the menace.

Mohammed’s appearance comes as no fewer than 50 persons were reportedly killed in fresh attacks on some Zamfara communities weekend, while 31 sustained injuries.

Deliberations at the Senate was such that one of the lawmakers broke down in tears, lamenting that he had been unable to visit or spend the night in his home town for quite some time.

The motion for the appearance of the Police boss came after Senator Joshua Dariye joined 108 other senators to sponsor a motion against abduction and banditry in the country.

The motion was moved by Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central). Following the motion, the upper chamber summoned the Acting Inspector General of Police to brief it on what he was doing about the kidnapping and banditry in the country.

The resolution of the Senate followed the motion entitled Senseless Killing of a Briton and Abduction of Three Others in a Holiday Resort in Kaduna State by Armed Bandits.

The Senate, which observed one-minute silence in honour of the dead, urged security agencies to immediately deploy the use of drones and interceptors in tracking kidnappers asking for a ransom to intensify the search for the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

The appearance of the Police boss today is, no doubt, expected to be a hot session, considering the commitment of the lawmakers to get to the root of the matter and get a firm commitment from not just the Police, but all the security agencies on how best to curtail and contain the rising insecurity in the country.

However, pundits expect the Police boss to also vociferously open up on the causative effects of some of the excesses of politicians going by earlier allegations that most of the killings, kidnapping, and banditry threatening the corporate existence the country emanated from thugs earlier engaged by them during electioneering campaigns.

In fact, it was widely reported that most of the criminals ravaging all the nooks and crannies of the country with sophisticated weapons are offshoots of the thugs used by politicians during their campaigns.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 50 persons were reportedly killed, while 31 sustained injuries after suspected bandits attacked some communities in Zamfara State, weekend.

The armed men were said to have attacked communities in Maru, Gusau and Birnin Magaji Local Government areas of the state.

The attackers, it was gathered, came in motorcycles, overrunning Magami district in Gusau council and displacing residents.

Acting Director, Force Information, Operation Sharan Daji, Clement Abiade, said soldiers were injured while battling the suspects.

He added that the soldiers had been taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau, for treatment.

The weekend attack on Kunkilai village was said to have occurred when residents were attending a naming ceremony.

The bandits, who wielded sophisticated weapons, shot sporadically, killing scores while several others were wounded.

After hours of onslaught, the bandits were said to have retreated to the forest as there were no security operatives to confront them.

Spokesman of the Zamfara police command, Mohammed Shehu, confirmed the attack on Kunkilari but maintained that only 10 persons died.

Suspected bandits also attacked Government Girls Secondary School in Zurü local government area of the state last Wednesday.

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