Police React To Kaduna-Abuja Bandit’s Attack

The Kaduna State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has reacted to the deadly attack on the Kaduna-Abuja road by bandit terrorists on Tuesday.

Naija News had reported earlier that some gun-wielding terrorists on Tuesday ambushed motorists on the Kaduna-Abuja road, abducting an unspecified number of people.

The assailants in their large number were reportedly shooting sporadically and in the process injured three passengers, and abducted several others.

The development has stirred tension in the region considering recent attacks witnessed on the route.

Naija News understands that the Tuesday attack was carried out between Kurnmin Kare and Katari in the Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State of the highway.

Meanwhile, reports have claimed that the terrorists had earlier on Tuesday day abducted 16 persons from Katari town and then proceeded around 4 pm on the same day to kidnap more passengers from the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

Confirming the latest attack in a statement on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Muhammed Jalige said the State Commissioner of Police, CP Yekini A. Ayoku and Kaduna Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, who conducted an on-the-spot visit to the scene on Wednesday, expressed sadness over the incident.

He explained that the command had received a distress call earlier that armed bandits in large numbers, wielding sophisticated weapons were operating on the Kaduna–Abuja road, between St. Peters and Audu Ogbe farm, Kateri village.

The police mouthpiece further confirmed that the assailants fired indiscriminately on commuters in their desperate bid to commit an atrocity against unsuspecting road users.

Responding to the attack, Jalige said the Command immediately mobilized the available manpower and logistics to the area to counter the bandits.

According to him, the move was swift as the operatives engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel, which forced the criminals to retreat into the bush, adding that the quick response by the security forces aided in reducing causality.

“The attack left three (3) persons with varying degrees of bullet wounds and were evacuated by the operatives to hospital for proper treatment, adding that five vehicles were also recovered from the scene,” Jalige noted.

The PPRO, however, said the number of the victims abducted could not be confirmed yet. He said the CP promised to redouble the efforts to build on the recent safety being enjoyed by road users.

He also ordered an immediate and thorough investigation of the immediate and remote causes of the security breach resulting in the unfortunate incident.

He urged members of the public not to be deterred by the setback as the Command was not leaving any stone unturned to guarantee the safety of road users and forestall future occurrences.

Naija News understands that the latest attack comes on the heels of the order by the Federal Government for the resumption of the Abuja-Kaduna train service, two months after it was attacked by Boko Haram terrorists.

Recall that about eight persons were killed and 26 others injured when gunmen bombed the rail track and attacked the Kaduna-bound train on March 28.

Following the attack, the federal government suspended train services on the route to fix the damaged train track and set up security surveillance.

In a statement on Monday by its spokesperson Yakubu Mahmood, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) said service will resume on the Abuja-Kaduna line on May 23.