Fierce Firefight Kills Scores of Kidnappers: Civilian Guards
By Luka Binniyat
(Kaduna) – Armed terrorists Thursday struck Kakangi village and environs, in Birnin Gwari county (Local Governance Area), Kaduna State, killing two village chiefs, and eight civilian volunteer guards (vigilantes), according to TheCable. A source revealed to Truth Nigeria that 8 vigilantes died in an attempt to rescue the village chiefs who were in the hands of kidnappers.
Although reports vary, the consensus is that the village chiefs did not survive.
Village chiefs murdered in the botched kidnapping were Christopher Abubakar and Isah Gambo,” residents of Ungwan Matinja community under Gayam Ward, according to The Punch.
Kakangi village is situated in an ungoverned area of far West Kaduna where kidnap gangs co-locate with terrorists belonging to several insurgencies, including Boko Haram, Islamic State of West Africa and Ansaru.
Daily Trust reports says that the attack took place around 8 am on Thursday.
“The two village heads were on their way from Kakangi to Birnin-Gwari when they were abducted.”
The paper reports that that the eight village community guards were killed as they tried to rescue the captives.
“The Member representing Kakangi Ward at the State House of Assembly, Yahaya Musa Dan Salio, who confirmed the incident, said all eight people killed were from Kakangi ward.
“Yes, I just received a call that two village heads in my constituency were abducted and eight other people killed. All those killed are residents of Kakangi,” he said.
The Punch also confirmed the story saying that terrorists have reportedly killed eight vigilante members and two other persons in Kakangi and Unguwan Matinja communities in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“The village heads of Kakangi and Kisaya villages under Kakangi Ward were also abducted,” the punch reported Friday.
It identified Idris Khalid, as a source who confirmed the incident and said terrorists invaded the villages at about early Thursday.
“The eight vigilante members who were killed in Kakangi were Bala Kamba, Abdurrahman Musa (Ubale), Kabiru Dan Dugui, Hambali Abu, Aliyu Abu, Nura Jika (Maleka), Mubarak Musa (Dan Wamba) and Ikra Hantsi.
The vigilantes were attacked while trailing the kidnapped victims who were abducted on their way to a burial between Kakangi and Sabon Layi.
“The vigilantes engaged the terrorists, killing scores of them but could not rescue the two traditional rulers and others,” he added.
Normally, anytime there is a kidnap incident, the vigilantes always trail the terrorists to rescue the victims, Khalid said.
“It’s unfortunate that in the process, eight gallant officers of the vigilantes who have been sacrificing in ensuring the safety of our people were lost,” Khalid lamented.
Kakangi, on the fringe of a bandit-terrorist infested Kamuku forest reserve that straddles Kaduna and Niger states, is 18 miles West of Kuriga town, where terrorists kidnapped 187 junior and High School pupils on March 7, 2024. Kaduna State has suffered 7 mass kidnappings since the beginning of 2023, TruthNigeria has reported. The whole expanse of forest savannah west of Kaduna city to the dense forests of eastern Niger State has become a battleground where Nigerian army and air force trade increasingly trade blows with thousands of kidnappers and terrorists.
Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, (ASP) Mansir Hassan, said did not respond to Truth Nigeria when contacted on the development.
—Luka Binniyat, a veteran conflict reporter in Kaduna, reports terrorism and banditry for TruthNigeria.
