Troops foil attack on Kaduna communities

By AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

Troops on Saturday night foiled an attack by bandits on communities in Sabon Birni area of Igabi local government of Kaduna.

The Nation gathered there was an attempt by the bandits to invade Sabon Birni and other surrounding villages around 9:00pm on Saturday but they were repelled by soldiers guarding the area.

Eyewitnesses from the area told The Nation the bandits, who came shooting sporadically, attacked the military base close to the town.

According to an eye witness: “We started hearing gun shots everywhere around 9 because by them most of our women were attending night Islamiyya classes and they (bandits) went straight to the military outpost behind a filling station and destroyed it.

“But more soldiers were deployed that night which forced the bandits to run into the bush he said few of the soldiers at the outpost engaged the bandits before the arrival of more troops.”

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Confirming the incident, Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said in a statement: “The military informed the Kaduna State Government of this development when heads of security agencies led by the Commissioner, Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan visited Sabon Birni on Sunday, on a confidence building meeting.

“At the meeting which had traditional, religious and community leaders drawn from the Sabon Birni general area, Aruwan said:

“We are here on behalf of Governor Nasir El-Rufai to commend troops who successfully foiled coordinated attacks by bandits on Saturday night.

“The troops showed bravery and courage in securing communities in the general area. We are here to thank them, and to ask for more from them.

“From your end, we solicit support and cooperation for troops and all the personnel working here. We have to work together because security is participatory, involving government, security agencies and citizens. Citizens are at the center of these efforts.”