Bauchi villagers confront kidnappers, kill one, rescue victims

Residents of Jajuwal, a village in Toro LGA of Bauchi State on Tuesday, rose in self defence against gunmen suspected to be kidnappers who may have invaded the village with the aim of kidnapping a target.

The residents with the assistance of armed local vigilante members and hunters, repelled the attackers, rescued some of the kidnapped victims and in the process, killed one of the suspected kidnappers while others ran away into the bush with gun wounds.

A resident of the village narrated that the suspected kidnappers stormed the village late Tuesday evening shooting sporadically in order to scare them away to be able to carryout their criminal activity.

The resident further said that, the villagers having gotten a forehand information, prepared themselves, laid ambush for the gunmen with the assistance of local vigilante members who opened fire on the attackers.

According to him, the residents in collaboration with the local vigilante members and hunters were able to repel the attackers who ran back into the forest having been subdued by the people who succeeded in killing one of the kidnappers and rescued some of the kidnapped victims.

He emphasized that a few persons were kidnapped during the attack though the main target was not even in the village when they attacked pointing that the people were now ready to protect themselves from further attack since the security agencies have failed them in the past.

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An indigene of Toro LGA who is a member of Toro LGA Concerned Citizens but did not want his name on print said that, “We are quite aware. Let’s awake, be aware and attack them in order to protect our lives and properties.”

He said that, “We are sympathising with the residents of Toro LGA over the unfortunate incident that is trying to overwhelm them because of the activities of bandits and kidnappers who are always on the prowl kidnapping people for ransom at will.”

According to him, “It is the responsibilities of the government to protect the people and their properties as it is enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. We are aware of the instability in the minds of the people due to failure of government and security agencies to come to their aid.”

“Even, we, leadership of Toro LGA Concerned Citizens are not exempted from the blame from the stress people of the area are currently going through,” he added.

He however assured that the group has now seen the reason to stand up to fight the activities of kidnappers and bandits in the area challenging all the elected and appointed officials from the area to come up with a way out of the situation or be ready to be booted out their respective offices having failed the people.

He also stressed that the communities too must rise up to the situation by organising themselves into groups that will protect their lives and property amongst others things.

All efforts to get reaction from the Bauchi State Police Command failed as the PPRO, SP Ahmed Wakili neither picked up the phone nor responded to the sms and Whatsapp messages sent to his mobile number.

By Yemi Kanji

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