Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State has been under the attack of bandits for seven straight days without police or military intervention, Aliyu Kwarbai, a resident of Zaria, has revealed.

In a tweet on Sunday, Kwarbai said the attackers abducted 10 people at the Kofan-Gayan and Gambo Sawaba Hospital axes of the LGA on Saturday.

“Yesterday, bandits/kidnappers abducted 10 people at Kofan-Gayan/Gambo Sawaba hospital axis in Zaria LG of Kaduna State,” he said.

“Note: This is seven days in a row that bandits are attacking Zaria LG without any challenge by our security agencies.”

Yesterday bandits/kidnappers abducted 10 people at Kofan-Gayan/Gambo Sawaba hospital axis in Zaria LG of Kaduna State.

Note: These is seven days in a row that’s bandits are attacking Zaria LG without any challenge by our security agencies.

— Aliyu (@AliyuKwarbai) June 13, 2021

Attacks by armed groups, often regarded as bandits, have intensified in Kaduna in recent times. In March, over 30 students were abducted in a night raid on the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Mando, Kaduna.

Another bandit attack in April led to the abduction of several students and staff members of Greenfield University, a private academic institution, in the state. Three of the students were killed and others didn’t regain freedom until parents and family members paid N180m ransom.

Similary, the Kaduna State Government revealed in May that suspected bandits killed two people and injured six in separate attacks at Chikun and Kajiru Local Government Area of the state.  

However, Sheik Gumi, a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric who had been playing the mouthpiece role for the attackers, said, in a recent interview, that they were pushed into banditry by circumstances and that they were tired and wanted peace.