No fewer than seven persons were shot dead, 57 abducted and a student of Government Science Secondary School, Birnin-Gwari shot on his way to register for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination when bandits struck in different parts of Kaduna State.
This was made known on Saturday in a statement by the Birnin Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance.
It was signed by its Chairman, Ibrahim Abubakar Nagwari.
The statement said: “The nightmare of armed banditry along Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway has further deteriorated in last twenty-four hours.
“Today, around 10:00am, a final year student of Science Secondary School Birnin-Gwari escaped with bullet wounds on his shoulder on his way to register for JAMB/UMTE in Kaduna.
“The dreadful armed bandits spray bullets on the vehicle conveying the student and others at Manini village after Kuriga along Birnin-Gwari Kaduna Highway.
“The student is awaiting surgery for the removal of the bullet on his shoulder at Jibrin Maigwari General Hospital in Birnin-Gwari.
“Similarly, armed bandits killed seven people at unguwar Bula, Unguwar Dafillo and Ijinga in Randagi district, Birnin-Gwari on Saturday.
“The bandits on motor circles numbering fifty attacked the communities around 11 o’clock in the morning on Friday and lasted for four hours, preventing people to conduct Juma’at prayers.
“The bandits, apart from killing six people on the spot, another person died this morning at Jibrin Maigwari General Hospital, while 57 people abducted with many of them being women from the same community.
“While commending the local government authorities for taking care of the hospital bills of those injured in the attacks, we are calling on the government to as a matter of urgency set up a special centre for JAMB examinations in Birnin-Gwari.”