Abuja, February 21: In a tragic incident in Nigeria’s northwestern Kebbi state, at least 33 people lost their lives due to an attack by suspected bandits. This information was confirmed by the police on Friday.
Bashir Usman, a spokesperson for the Kebbi police, stated that the attackers are believed to be members of the militant group known as Lukurawa, which operates in the northern region. Armed individuals launched their assault on the Buji district of the Arewa Local Government Area on Wednesday.
Initial investigations suggest that the attackers entered the area with the intent to steal livestock. Reports indicate that they crossed over from the Gudu Local Government Area of neighboring Sokoto state.
Upon hearing about the attack, residents from nearby villages banded together to confront the assailants. Usman reported that “33 lives were lost during the encounter.”
The police spokesperson added that all security agencies, including the military, have intensified patrols in the affected areas. Additional forces and resources have been deployed to restore normalcy and prevent further attacks.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in Nigeria’s central Plateau state, at least 38 people died, and 25 others were injured due to an explosion or gas leak at a lead mining site on Wednesday.
This mining site was located in the Jurak community of the Wase Local Government Area and was operated by Solid Mining Company. Following the incident, the site has been sealed off.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has ordered an investigation into the incident. He stated that preliminary reports indicate that the victims were exposed to toxic gases during underground mining operations.
The minister explained that the pit where the incident occurred had been handed over to the local community for mining by the company. It was an abandoned lead mining area, where there was a risk of toxic gases like sulfuric oxide being released from accumulated minerals.
Reports suggest that the villagers were unaware of the toxic nature of the gases and inhaled them during mining activities, leading to this unfortunate accident.
The government has dispatched a team of experts and environmental compliance officers to the site to investigate the immediate and root causes of the incident and recommend necessary actions.
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