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| Bandits used to illustrate the story |
Armed bandits has stormed the Pindiga community in Gombe State's Akko Local Government Area, leaving two dead and four abducted. The Gombe State Police Command confirmed the violent incident, which has sent shockwaves through the region.
According to a statement released on Sunday by the Command's spokesperson, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, the assault occurred at approximately 3:30 a.m. along the Pindiga-Kashere Road. Unidentified gunmen first invaded a residence, fatally shooting 31-year-old Yusuf Mohammed and 28-year-old Faiza Mohammed. From the same household, they kidnapped 16-year-old Zainab Mohammed Yusuf.
The assailants then proceeded to a second home, where they abducted the wife and two children of one Yayaji Abdullahi. The two victims suffering gunshot wounds were rushed to the Cottage Hospital in Pindiga but were pronounced dead by a medical doctor.
DSP Abdullahi stated that tactical and intelligence-led operations have been intensified in the area following the attack. "Consequently, hunters and local vigilante groups were mobilised, while concerted efforts are ongoing to rescue the abducted victims and apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous crime," the police statement read.
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya, has vehemently condemned the murders, describing the attack as "barbaric, cruel, and utterly unacceptable." In a strongly-worded response, the governor stated that the killing of innocent citizens and the abduction of women and children is a heinous crime that challenges the peace and security the state has worked to sustain.
"This dastardly act is a direct assault on our collective conscience and a painful test of our resolve to protect lives and property," Governor Yahaya said. He extended the sympathy of the state government and its people to the grieving families and the entire Pindiga community.
Governor Yahaya assured residents that the crime would not go unchecked. He disclosed that the Nigeria Police and other security agencies have commenced intensive investigations into the killings and abductions. The governor has directed that all necessary resources be deployed to track down the perpetrators, ensure the safe rescue of the abducted victims, and bring all those involved to justice.