‘We thought it was police’ – Residents recall deadly Bauchi bandit attack
Bauchi State Community Attacked by Suspected Bandits; Two Children Killed, Three Abducted
RAFIN CIYAWA, Bauchi State — Residents of Rafin Ciyawa village in Ningi Local Government Area experienced a traumatic incident late Tuesday night as suspected bandits invaded the community. The attack resulted in the deaths of two children, injuries to six others, and the abduction of three residents.
The Bauchi State Police Command confirmed the incident on Wednesday. According to police spokesperson SP Nafiu Habib, the attack occurred around 12:30 a.m., causing widespread panic among the villagers.
Habib stated that members of the Village Rescue Committee, along with the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and local vigilantes, have been deployed to assist in rescuing the abducted individuals and apprehending the assailants.
One resident, Zubairu Yahaya, reported that the children had been sleeping outside in front of their Quranic teacher’s house due to the heat. He noted that initial gunfire was mistaken for that of local law enforcement. “When we realized it was an attack, we found two children dead and six others injured,” Yahaya said.
He added that the attackers initially searched the community for two local brothers, Saminu and Safiyanu, believed to have recently received a significant amount of money. After failing to locate the brothers, the bandits reportedly abducted family members instead.
Yahaya claimed the assailants expressed regret over the children’s deaths, calling them accidental. “They asked us to accept the deaths as the will of Allah before taking the kidnapped victims,” he said.
Another villager, Mukhtar Usman, described narrowly escaping harm when the gunmen targeted his home in search of his younger brother. Three members of Usman’s family—Rukkaya, Samsiyya, and Kabiru—were taken. He stated that the attackers initially demanded a ransom of 100 million naira but later reduced it to 10 million naira. “We are still negotiating with them,” Usman reported.
The attack has left the community in shock. Residents are urging the government and security agencies to take swift action to secure the release of the abducted individuals and to enhance security measures in the area to prevent future incidents.