Banditry: Bodies of four slain Nigerian security officials handed over to families

The bodies of the remaining four Nigerian security officials killed by terrorists in Kaduna have been handed over to their families.

The four are among seven officials of the civil defence corps (NSCDC) killed by terrorists, locally called bandits, in an ambush in Kuriga village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area on Monday.

The attackers’ identity has yet to be confirmed but different armed groups operate in Kaduna and other states in north-west and north-central Nigeria.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the killing and tasked the military to go after the terrorists.

On Saturday, the Kaduna State Command of the NSCDC handed over the remaining four corpses to their families for burial.

Earlier, the NSCDC had handed over the body of the late Fidelis Yusuf for final internment on Thursday, while Shamsudeen Labaran was buried on 10 January at Anguwan Dosa cemetery according to Islamic rites.

The remains of a third victim, Augustine Simon, were conveyed to Benue for burial on Friday.

The four, whose remains were handed over to their families on Saturday, included Peter Ayuba, Yashim Elisha, Michael Musa and Peter Kurah.

The Commandant General of the NSCDC, Audi Abubakar, while paying his last respect to the personnel, said that the incident had brought sadness to the entire country.

Mr Abubakar, represented by the NSCDC Commandant in Kaduna, Idris Adah, noted that President Muhammadu Buhari and the entire NSCDC staff and Nigerians were all saddened by the event.

“We don’t have the right to query God, it has happened and death is of course inevitable. This is their own day, when ours comes, we shall all go,” he said.

He called on the personnel to see the deaths of their colleagues as a reminder that one day they would also be laid to their graves.

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While disclosing that compensation would be paid to the families of the deceased corps personnel, he noted that no compensation could be compared to the lives of the deceased personnel.

“Notwithstanding, appropriate attention will be given to the families of this our slain brothers,” the News Agency of Nigeria quotes the official as saying.

“We just have to take hearts, we don’t have control over such kinds of situations, every body should endeavour to be praying for the rest of their souls,” he said.

Mr Abubakar, while consoling the families of the slain officers, prayed to God for the repose of their souls.

Kaduna is one of the states most affected by banditry in north-west Nigeria. Others include Zamfara, Katsina and Kebbi.

Thousands of people have been killed and kidnapped by the bandits in recent years despite the efforts of security agencies.