BANDITS have killed 17 people in Rimi village, which is located in the Yankari Game Reserve forest in Bauchi State’s Alkaleri Local Government Area.
Following violent attacks by armed bandits in numerous communities around the LGA, thousands of people, including women, children, and the elderly, have also started to leave their homes.
The communities are located close to the recently discovered oil field in Alkaleri LGA.
Babawo Abdullahi, a resident of Yashi village, told newsmen that the bandits raided the community on Friday shortly after Jum’aat prayers and started shooting at residents.
According to Abdullahi, after the Rimi raid, the troops stationed in Duguri village were mobilized to the forest, where they later found and killed a number of the bandits.
Investigation reveals that the prevalence of mining activities in many villages, which drew mining companies to Alkaleri, played a significant role in the rise in bandits, along with the large, dense forest of Yankari Game Reserve, which has now turned into a haven for these individuals who terrorize villagers while making a lucrative business from ransom payments.
“It was on Friday around 3pm shortly after Ju’maat prayers when the bandits stormed Rumi on board 300 motorcycles and cordoned off the village and opened fire killing 14 people and burnt down over 70 houses during the attack because they circle the village. The bandits also burnt down a Toyota Hilux and a tractor during the attack. The gunmen rustled hundreds of cattle and took them away during the unfortunate attack,” Mohammed said.
“Yesterday, (Saturday) we accompanied the district head of Duguri to Rimi village to commiserate with the people to condole them over the attack and we also received some of the internally displaced persons (victims) from Rimi to distribute relief materials to alleviate their suffering,” Mohammed added.
On their part, Bauchi State Police Command has denied the report of the attack and killing of the people in Alkaleri.
The police Public Relations Officer, SP Ahmed Wakil said there was no attack or killing of people in the newly discovered oil communities in Bauchi State.
“The attention of the Bauchi Police Command has been drawn to viral media publications in some sections of the media dated 11th December 2022 alleging that ten people were killed in a week by kidnappers around newly oil-discovered field communities. The story is false in its entirety!,” Wakil said.
In a related occurrence yesterday, bandits ambushed and killed four traders from Zandam village in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Jibia LGA Chairman Bashir Sabi’u Maitan corroborated the information to reporters in Katsina.
The traders, according to him, were assassinated while en route to Jibia’s weekly market, which opens every Sunday.
On the other hand, a dependable source from Zandam village who talked on the condition of anonymity indicated that the bandits were launching a retaliation strike.
“Yesterday (Saturday), some members of a vigilante group killed a Fulani man and today the bandits attacked and killed our people on their way to Jibia market.
“Five people were shot, four died on the spot while the fifth one, Malam Ibrahim Julius, sustained injury and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital. When contacted, the police spokesman in Katsina, SP Gambo Isah confirmed the incident, saying the injured person was admitted to General Hospital, Katsina.
Jibia Local Government Area is one of the LGAs suffering from security problems, which prompted the state government to announce the closure of the Jibia-Zurmi road in Zamfara State.
