Bandits Attack: Kebbi Deputy Governor Recounts Tragic Incident

The Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Col Yombe Dabai (Rtd), has recounted his ordeal after his convoy was attacked by bandits in the state.

Naija News had reported that Dabai’s convoy was attacked on Wednesday in Kanya, Waje District of Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of the state.

The deputy governor was said to be visiting some areas in the state affected by bandits activities when his convoy ran into a large number of bandits operating in Kanya community.

This prompted Dabai and some soldiers in his convoy to attempt to save the villagers from the bandits but a gun battle ensued in the process.

One of the security aides attached to the deputy governor, ASP Idris Libata, alongside 18 soldiers were killed during the gun battle while the bandits escaped with injuries and wounds.

In an interview with Channels Television, Dabai said the bandits were looting shops, houses, and rustling cattle in the area when he arrived in the village.

The deputy governor said the criminals had stormed the area with high-grade weapons and mingled with villagers in order to hide their identities.

Dabai said he advised his security team to pursue the bandits out of the community so that they could pull them along and separate them from the villagers.

He, however, commended the brave efforts of the 223 Battalion and vigilante groups in repelling the attack, which could have been more deadly.

He said, “The bandits mixed up with the inhabitants of Kanya in such a way that it is difficult to differentiate and fight them. So, I advised my security team that we pull them out of the community so that we could pull them along and separate them from the inhabitants.

“The bandits were equipped with PSA AK-P and much heavier calibre weapons than AK-47. Despite this, the soldiers stoop up and matched them.

“I doff my cap for the soldiers at Zuru Battalion who were few compared to the number of the terrorists.

“From the gunshots, you will assume they were 200 or 250 terrorists. And the soldiers were a unit of about 30 troops, escorting the commanding officer.”