February 01, (THEWILL) – Kaduna state lost 1,192 residents to bandits’ attacks across the state in 2021, 3,348 citizens were kidnapped, while 891 sustained various forms of injury during the attacks, Kaduna state annual security report has said.
The report presented to Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state by the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, on Tuesday said 13,788 cows were rustled across the state within the 12 months covered by the report.
According to Aruwan, there is a growing threat of food insecurity in the state, as farmers found it difficult to access their farms for key farming activities, having been kidnapped or for fear of being abducted.
Many farmers were also killed, just as bandits extort taxes from farmers before they could access their farms. Birnin Gwari, Igabi, Giwa, Zaria, Chikun, Kauru, Kajuru, Kachia, Kagarko, Zangon Kataf, Jema’a and Sanga Local Governments were most affected.
The Report noted that the state recorded 182 cases of farm destruction, either by cattle under the watch of itinerant herders or herds rustled by bandits which destroyed farms during escape, especially in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Chikun, Kajuru, Jema’a, Kaura, Kauru and Zangon Kataf local government areas.
According to the Report, 50 children were among those killed, as 1,038 were men and 104 were women. Kaduna Central senatorial zone recorded the highest number of deaths at 720, followed by 406 in Kaduna South and 66 in Kaduna North.
There were 340 children kidnapped, while 2,023 of the figures were men and 985 were women. Kaduna Central zone also led in the area of kidnapping with 2,771 abduction from the zone, while 397 citizens were kidnapped from the Southern senatorial zone and 180 from the Kaduna North zone.
About 544 residents of Kaduna Central zone sustained injury within 2021, while Kaduna South zone recorded 253 and Kaduna North zone recorded 94.
The Report further stated that 10,261 cows were stolen in Kaduna Central zone, 1,941 and 1,586 cows were rustled in the Southern and Northern senatorial zones respectively.
There were increases in the various figures as the death rate of 937 recorded in 2020 paled to that of 1,192 recorded last year, also 1972 people were kidnapped in 2020, while 3,348 were kidnapped last year. The 7,935 cows stolen in 2020 almost doubled to 13,788 cows rustled in 2021.
Aruwan lamented the growing interaction between the bandits in the state and terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Ansaru which does not bode well for the state.
