[UPDATE] Military onslaught: Fear as fleeing Zamfara terrorists close in on Kaduna community

As military power continued to smoke terrorists out of Zamfara state; there was fear in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State; as the alarm was raised that the fleeing terrorists were just a kilometre to annex Birnin-Gwari town, the headquarters of the Local Government Council.

The Kaduna State Police Command, however, assured of its readiness to protect the inhabitants of the affected areas.

When journalists contacted the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Mohammed Jalige, he said the command would protect the lives and property of the villagers, adding that the fleeing bandits would not be allowed to terrorise the villagers.

But in an interview with Vanguard on Thursday morning, the traditional title holder of Dan Masanin Birnin-Gwari and former Managing Director of the Kaduna State Media Corporation ( KSMC), Alhaji Zubairu Idris Abdurra’uf, alleged that fear had gripped the people of Birnin-Gwari as the fleeing terrorists were now a regular sight in communities less than a kilometre to the main Birnin-Gwari town.

According to him,” yes there were reports by the locals that they are in the vast forest of Birnin-Gwari, particularly Kudaru forest and the terrorists are closing in, on the Birnin-Gwari main town.”

“This is because right now the Government Science Secondary School Birnin-Gwari which was renamed Jibril Mai Gwari Science Secondary School just close to the field base of the Army was closed down for one week because of the fear of attacks by the terrorists.”

“So the situation is taking a dangerous dimension because as we said earlier, farmers up to now cannot access their farms because of the activities of terrorists. “

“You see from Birnin-Gwari town on your way to Kaduna, the terrorists have now closed in, they are less than a kilometre to the main town. They are less than a kilometre because they have passed a place called Unguwan Shekarau .”

“The terrorists were seen visibly around the Health Technology, a private, Community Health Technology in Birnin-Gwari and also, they were seen visibly around the Low-Cost housing area which is along Birnin-Gwari Kaduna highway. The Low Cost is just a kilometre from Birnin-Gwari or less than a kilometre. So that is the situation .”

“When you go to the Eastern part of Birnin-Gwari; the terrorists are there, all over. Some of them infiltrated neighbouring villages in Katsina State, they also infiltrated villages in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State .”

“Just last week in Tabanni there was a clash between the terrorists and the communities, some killed.”

“Also if you go to the Western part of Birnin-Gwari, Randagi, Kakangi and other areas all the people are on high alert because the locals there are trying to defend themselves from these terrorists. That’s the situation,” the Dan Masanin Birnin-Gwari said.

On Wednesday evening, locals in hamlets along the Zamfara-Kaduna border towns said they saw the fleeing bandits in numbers, wielding dangerous weapons.

A local in Damari village, Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State said the hoodlums arrived in the afternoon.

‘ They have been arriving at the nearby Kudaru Forest since Tuesday. When the terrorists were seen entering the main town, people started to run,” he said.