Bandits kill policeman, five vigilantes in Kaduna, kidnap others

• Abductors of Niger monarch demand N100m
• El-Rufai denies plan to shut down telecoms services
• Canvasses e-voting, e-transmission of results in 2023

Again, bandits have killed five vigilante group members and injured one at Udawa community in Chikun Local Council of Kaduna State following an ambush of their vehicle.

A police officer, whose name was given as Yahaya Joshua, was also feared killed in Juji Community, and his family members abducted, yesterday.

The Guardian gathered, yesterday, that the daredevil bandits attacked the Vigilante’s Hilux van along Birnin Gwari road as they were returning from Kaduna to Udawa around 5.30 p.m.

The Chief Imam of Udawa community, Alhaji Hussain Iliyasu, who confirmed the killing to journalists, said vigilante’s vehicle had eight occupants, adding that the bandits killed five, injured one while two escaped.

Also, bandits, yesterday morning, invaded the settlements of Ungwan Sauri and Adnayita communities along Juji, about 10:00a.m., blocked exit routes and shot sporadically into the air. They then proceeded to the house of a policeman, shot him before taking his wife and other persons away with them.

HOWEVER, four days after the abduction of the Dodo of Wawa, Dr. Mahmud Ahmed, in his palace, in Borgu Emirate, Niger State, the criminals have demanded N100 million ransom for his release.

Some people from Wawa have attributed the abduction of the traditional ruler to his long standing opposition to the activities of some Fulani men from neighbouring Benin Republic and Niger to settle in the area. His security guard, however, has been accused of providing information to bandits.

MEANWHILE, Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna has denied the rumours that the state was planning to join other North West states to shut down telecoms services as a measure to curb banditry.

Special Adviser, Media and Communication, to the Governor, Muyiwa Adekeye, said Kaduna government did not reach out to any federal agency for telecoms shutdown, and had not ordered communications shutdown.

He urged Kaduna residents to “ignore the rumours. It is fake news, which some people are trying to pass off as genuine by placing KDSG logo on their false statements. It is simply not true.”

SMARTING from the successful pilot scheme of electronic voting in the state’s local council election, El-Rufai has urged the Federal Government to adopt electronic voting and transmission of results during the 2023 general election in the country.

According to El-Rufai, after the successful conduct of the local council elections with electronic gadgets in Kaduna, the nation can borrow a leaf by the use of the e-voting system in the 36 states during future polls.

The governor stated yesterday: “With utmost humility, I wish to express profound gratitude to the people of Kaduna for the largely peaceful and orderly conduct of the local council elections of September 4, 2021.”