• Matawalle consoles Zamfara attack victims

Suspected gunmen yesterday abducted Kebbi State High Court judge, Justice Faruku Bunza, from his residence in Bunza Local Council Area of the state.

A family source told newsmen that Justice Bunza returned home from Sokoto State shortly before the armed men invaded his residence along Zogirma Road.

The source said the attackers stormed the house shouting, but did not cause physical harm to other occupants or neighbours.

According to the source, the incident was immediately reported to the relevant authorities, including the management of the Kebbi State High Court.

Confirming the abduction, the Kebbi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, said the Commissioner, Umar Hadejia, has deployed tactical and intelligence teams for the rescue effort, adding that no group had yet claimed responsibility for the abduction.

In Benue State, the Chairman of Ohimini Local Council Area, Gabriel Adole, has confirmed that three persons were killed and two others injured in two separate attacks by suspected armed herdsmen on the Agadagba and Okunu communities of the state.

Adole told newsmen on the phone over the weekend that the incidents took place between Friday afternoon and Saturday night.

He added that the attackers first invaded Akunu Village on Friday, killed one person, attacked and collected another’s motorcycle, before moving to Agadagba to rustle cows, where they were repelled by the community members, but also shot the owner of the cattle in the leg.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has condoled with victims of the recent terrorist attacks in Bungudu Local Council Area and other affected communities in Zamfara State, and directed the military to intensify ongoing counter-terrorism operations across the North-West.

This comes as a security analyst identified as Bakatsine said one person was killed and another injured following a fresh bandits’ attack on MagamiDantoro Village in Gabake Ward of Kaura Namoda Local Council Area of Zamfara State.

According to the post shared on X yesterday, the armed attackers, who stormed the village on Saturday night, also carted away property belonging to members of the community.

In a statement yesterday by his spokesperson, Ahmad Dan-Wudil, Matawalle urged the leadership of Operation Fansan Yamma, in collaboration with other security agencies operating in the affected areas, to “remain resolute and sustain the offensive against the terrorists.”

He also directed the Operation Fansan Yamma and all military formations engaged in counter-terrorism operations across Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto and Kaduna states to deploy every lawful and necessary measure to eliminate terrorist activities through targeted military operations.

He further appealed to the public, particularly traditional rulers and community leaders, to support security agencies with timely and credible intelligence on individuals collaborating with terrorists or supplying information to them.