According to a state official, from April to September 2022, banditry, terrorism, and intercommunal violence claimed the lives of 446 persons in Kaduna.
The total included 161 fatalities in the third quarter and 285 in the second quarter of the year.
This was said by Samuel Aruwan, the commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, as he gave Governor Nasir El-Rufai the security report for the second and third quarters of 2022.
Additionally, he stated that throughout the time period, 985 people were kidnapped, with 804 of those incidents occurring in the third quarter. The second and third quarters each had five rape incidents.
The commissioner said 258 persons were injured in the second quarter and 156 in the third quarter, while 5,999 and 1,133 animals were rustled in the two quarters, respectively.
Mr Aruwan, however, said a total of 74 AK-47 rifles, five locally made rifles, 5,398 live ammunition, and 11 pump action magazines were intercepted during the period.
The commissioner further said that 168 bandits were neutralised by troops within the period, with 59 killed in the second quarter and 109 in the third quarter.
He warned that the activities of bandits had adversely impacted farming activities including livestock production.
The commissioner said it was important to block the flow of illicit drugs fueling the criminals, adding that the main sources of funding for the bandits are ransoms from kidnappings.
Mr Aruwan stated other sources of funding for the bandits to include gun running and leasing of weapons to groups who lacked the capacity to acquire weapons.
He said the state will continue to strengthen its intelligence network to stay ahead of the criminals.
(NAN)