No fewer than 73 people have been killed in separate attacks that broke out across eight states of the federation in the last two weeks.
Recall that in June, President Bola Tinubu lamented the rising spate of insecurity in the country, noting that the security challenges in the North-West region was affecting other parts of the country.
Tinubu stated this in Katsina, at a two-day summit themed, ‘Regional Cooperation for Securing Lives and Livelihoods in North-West Nigeria,’ organised by the North-West Governor’s Forum in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme.
The President, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the security issue in the North-West was not a sectional matter as whenever any part of the country was ailing, others would be affected.
He, however, assured Nigerians that his administration would not rest on its laurels until banditry, terrorism, and other forms of insecurity were eliminated.
However, Saturday PUNCH analysis of recent media reports showed that bandits and suspected herdsmen killed no fewer than 73 people between June 16 and July 3, 2024, across eight states of the federation.
The latest of such attack occurred on Tuesday, 2nd July in Benue and Katsina states where a total of 12 people, including a university lecturer were murdered in cold blood by gunmen.
The don, Dr Tiri David, who was the Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension, and Rural Development at the Federal University, Dutsinma in Katsina State, was reportedly killed early Tuesday morning by the assailants.
An eyewitness reported to Channels Television via telephone that the incident occurred around 1:30am at his residence in the Yarima Quarters, Low-Cost Estate, Dutsinma Local Government Area of the state.
While Nigerians were still reeling in shock over the don’s murder, some bandits struck again on Tuesday night in Benue State, killing no fewer than 11 people.
The bandits were said to have invaded Ayati village in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State and killed several people out of which 11 corpses had so far been recovered by youths in the local government area, who violently protested the killing on Wednesday in the state.
