From Mumini Abdulkareem (Ilorin), Ado A. Musa (Jos), Hope Abah (Makurdi) & Usman A. Bello (Benin) Gunmen have killed three soldiers and 12 civilians, and abducted some passengers in separate attacks in Kwara, Plateau, Benue and Edo states.

In Kwara, bandits killed three soldiers in a pre-dawn attack on a joint security post in Kemanji community, Kaiama Local Government Area. They also carted away weapons and an army gun truck in the process, it was learnt. The attack, which occurred around 3am on Monday, also left several security operatives injured, while motorcycles and ammunition belonging to the security team were taken by the assailants.

A former council chairman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Daily Trust that the gunmen stormed the community in large numbers and targeted the security formation comprising soldiers, forest guards and vigilantes. “They came into Kemanji around 3am and attacked the security post. They killed three soldiers and two vigilantes, while many others were injured.

They also took about 12 motorcycles, guns and ammunition, and even went away with the army gun truck,” he said. He said the injured were evacuated to hospitals, with severe cases referred to Ilorin. The source said residents were not attacked during the incident.

“They only engaged the security personnel,” he said. A resident, Mohammed Mohammed, said the attackers overwhelmed the troops and escaped with military equipment. Several calls to the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, and the Chairman of Kaiama Local Government Area, Hon.

Abubakar Abdullahi, were not answered as of the time of filing this report. However, the village head of Kemanji, Alhaji Sanni Zikki, confirmed the attack to Daily Trust, attributing it to bandits operating from the nearby forest. He said the security operatives resisted the attack despite its intensity.

Attacks claim 6 lives in Plateau In Plateau State, six people were killed while eight others sustained injuries on Sunday night in two separate attacks on communities in Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas. The National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), Rwang Tenglong, who confirmed the incidents, said the attacks had thrown the affected communities into fear. Tenglong explained that the first incident occurred at about 10pm on Sunday, when gunmen invaded the Hurum-Gashish community in Barkin Ladi and opened fire on residents, killing four people and injuring five others.

In a related development, the BYM disclosed that two people were killed while three others were injured in Shonong Bachi community of Riyom LGA. Tenglong said the attack in Riyom took place around 11pm. The Plateau State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, said the association was not aware of the incidents and called on security agencies to investigate and ensure the arrest of the perpetrators.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson of Operation Enduring Peace, Captain Polycarp Oteh and Police Public Relations Officer in Plateau, SP Alfred Alabo, for confirmation were unsuccessful, as they had yet to respond to messages sent to them as of press time. 5 killed in Benue Five people were killed in an attack on Tse Ameen community in Mbapa Council Ward of Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State. Residents said the incident occurred on Saturday night when gunmen attacked the community. A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent via telephone that five bodies were recovered, while many others remained missing.

“The corpses recovered after the attack included three males and two females,” the resident said. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed the incident, saying that four bodies had been recovered. She, however, did not provide further details.

Governor Hyacinth Alia urged security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested. Kidnappers kill driver, abduct passengers in Edo The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the killing of a driver and the abduction of an unspecified number of passengers along the Benin-Lagos Highway. Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers reportedly ambushed a GUO Transport bus on Sunday, killing the driver and abducting passengers.

The attackers were said to have intercepted the bus, which was heading towards the eastern part of the country from Lagos, along the Benin-Ore axis of the road, and opened fire, forcing the vehicle to a halt. The Command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the incident, saying that the police had launched a manhunt for the kidnappers. She said officers had commenced bush-combing operations to rescue the abducted passengers and apprehend the perpetrators.