The security challenges in Nigeria continued last week leading to the death of at least 35 people.
The victims died in violent attacks across the country last week, while 40 others were reportedly kidnapped during the week.
The major incident, however, was the clash of Shiite protesters with the police in Abuja. The clash led to the death of at least 13 people, including a top police officer and a corps member serving with Channels TV.
Following the clash, the federal government secured a court order to declare the Shiites as terrorists on Saturday.
Other attacks include activities of bandits and kidnappers. Unlike in the past, there was no report of suspected herders killings.
Sunday:
The police in Kwara said a gang of suspected kidnappers abducted four Turkish nationals along Gbugbu-Lafiagi Road in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara.
Ajayi Okasanmi, the Public Relations Officer of the police in the state, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Gbugbu on Sunday.
The abducted expatriates were working at a quarry site located within the area.
The state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, described the victims as “Turkish nationals.” The victims were, however, released on Thursday.
Also, Channels TV reported how 15 people were killed by gunmen following an attack on Zango village in Katsina State in north-west Nigeria.
The armed men were said to have stormed the village in Kankara Local Government Area of the state on Sunday evening.
About 14 people, mostly women and children, were also said to be missing in the attack.
– The Nation newspaper reported how 18 traders were abducted by unknown gunmen in Rafi local government of Niger state.
The traders were travelling from Pandogari town in the Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State to Bassa village for the weekly market.
The traders were in an 18-seater bus when they ran into a blockade by the gunmen who were shooting sporadically.
Monday:
Online medium, Premium Times reported how a Shi’ite protest turned violent on Monday.
At least 13 people, including a police officer and a corps member serving with Channels TV, were killed when the protesters clashed with security officers.
This led to a meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, where they resolved to proscribe the Islamic group.
Shi’ite stormed the main entrance of the legislative complex on Wednesday afternoon
Shi’ites stormed the main entrance of the legislative complex on Wednesday afternoon
– Suspected bandits killed two personnel of the Nigerian Air Force in an ambush at the Kawan Pole Waya area along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road in Kaduna State
The area is about 20 kilometres from Birnin Gwari, an area bordering Zamfara and Kebbi states and notorious for bandits’ activities.
The bandits attacked the troops attached to the 271 NAF Detachment in Birnin Gwari on Monday at about 5 p.m.
Tuesday:
Bandits Tuesday evening blocked the Ajebo axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and kidnapped three persons.
The Chief Medical Director of the Lafia Hospital, Apata, Ibadan, Oyo State, Oladipupo Sule, said his son, Kayode and two members of staff of the hospital were kidnapped during the attack.
According to him, the kidnapped members of staff are Opeyemi Abifarin and Dele Adigun.
The victims were later released on Saturday.
Wednesday:
The police in Kaduna State confirmed the abduction of a director with the Sharia Court of Appeal in Kaduna.
The police said the abductors also killed the victim’s son while carrying out the operation on July 24.
The Command Public Relations Officer, Yakubu Sabo, a deputy superintendent of police, told newsmen on Thursday in Kaduna, that the police were notified of the incident at about 6:30 am on Wednesday.
“The DPO of Sabon Tasha Kaduna reported that he received a distress call that armed men entered the residence of one Hussain Manjalo of Doka Mai Jama’a via ujamKa Village Chikun Local Government Area and shot dead one Abdurrauf Muhammad after the victim was said to have challenged them.
“And (they) kidnapped his mother, Hajiya Aishatu Muhammad, Director Personnel Management of Sharia Court of Appeal in Kaduna State,” he said.
Thursday:
Suspected members of the Eiye Confraternity shot dead two friends, Wasiu Olaitan, 31, and Frank Mmanko, 29, in the Okokomaiko area of Lagos State.
The suspected cultists, who reportedly invaded the area around 6.15 pm on three motorcycles, were said to have shot indiscriminately in the area.
A woman and some residents of Ajasa Street and Ogunleye junction in the Okokomaiko area were said to have sustained injuries during the attack.
An old man and a child were reported dead, Thursday night, after motorcycle-riding Boko Haram gunmen attacked a camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
The Dalori IDP camp, located near the University of Maiduguri, came under attack by suspected Boko Haram fighters who broke in through the back perimeter fence at about 8 pm.
Abba Aji, a top commander of the youth vigilante group known as Civilian-JTF, said the gunmen first attacked the soldiers’ station near the camp before they moved in, shooting sporadically.
“It happened a few minutes after 8 p.m. when they (Boko Haram) broke into the camp and killed two persons, an old woman a very little child,” he said.
He said despite the fact that the camp was well guarded by soldiers, the insurgents, who also broke into shops and stole food items, easily made their way in and left.
“It is really a very sad development that this is still happening,” he said.
Bello Danbatta, a security attached to the State Emergency Management Agency(SEMA) also confirmed the attack.
