Troops of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with vigilante operatives, have reportedly neutralised 21 suspected bandits in Danko Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, an official has said.
Hussani Bena, the Council Chairman, verified this in a phone interview with the newsmen on Thursday.
He claimed that Danko Wasagu shares a border with Niger State’s Mariga Local Government Area, via which bandits gain entrance to Kebbi.
According to him, the troops carried out the operation from Monday to Wednesday, and the bandits entered Tudun Bichi under Wasagu through Mariga, but credible intelligence kept security services, vigilante groups, and villagers on alert, resulting in a successful ambush.
He said that villagers, along with vigilantes, murdered 17 suspected bandits and collected weapons, ammunition, and motorcycles, while two locals were killed.
Bena further stated that the bandits travelled to Tangaran village and abducted nine farmers working on their farms, but all of them were eventually liberated by a joint effort of security agencies, vigilantes, and residents in a village called Lugga in Ayu District.
The chairman stated that keeping a close eye on the bandits’ movements culminated in another encounter at Bakin Gulbi village, where the united team killed four bandits, recovered weapons, and rescued three kidnapped people, assuring that the outlaws’ movements were being followed for further action.
He, however, said that the bandits had killed Marafan Mai Inuwa under Kanya District and abducted some people, but were later rescued by the army after killing some of the bandits.
He stated that, in line with the directives of the governor, “We have visited Kanya District, where all the displaced persons from the surrounding villages converged and commiserated with the people and presented a message (token) from His Excellency, Kauran Gwandu.”
While applauding the valiant efforts of the troops, vigilantes, and residents, Bena urged citizens to provide more support and collaboration in supplying solid intelligence to effectively drive out criminals from their neighbourhoods.
The chairman called for more military soldiers to be deployed at Malekachi village, which remained a transit route for bandits, as well as Dankade village.
He stated that the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs had been briefed on how the ministry should provide palliatives to impacted victims in order to mitigate the impacts of the heinous incident.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
