How Buhari’s Convoy Failed To Engaged Bandits, Allowed Them Escape During Recent Attack, Villagers Narrate

Recently, Nigeria's number one man, President Muhammadu Buhari's convoy was attacked.

Now, the residents of Dutsinma villages in Katsina State where the presidential advance team was ambushed on Tuesday have narrated how the security agents in the convoy did not exchange fire with the terrorists.

According to the villagers, that gave the terrorists the opportunity to escape unhurt.

This, however, contradicts the account given by the presidency on the incident.

The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media, Garba Shehu had said shortly after the incident that the convoy included an advance team of security guards, protocol and media officers.

He said, “The attackers opened fire on the convoy from ambush positions but were repelled by the military, police and DSS (Department of State Services) personnel accompanying the convoy."

Shehu said two persons in the convoy were receiving treatment for the minor injuries they suffered and that all the other personnel, staff and vehicles made it safely to Daura.

Dutsinma, where the attack happened is about 152 kilometres from Buhari’s hometown of Daura.

But contrary to the Presidency's account, eyewitnesses told Daily Trust that the convoy did not exchange gunfire with the terrorists, saying it made the assailants escape unhurt.

It reported that the attackers had invaded one village called Buturkai where they dispersed the residents, forcing them to relocate to Turare village where the attack occurred, and some of them to Shandai, a grazing reserve area.

According to the report, that happened before the arrival of the presidency's advance team.

“At Buturkai, the bandits killed three persons and went to Dogon Ruwa village where they killed two people, broke into so many shops and carted away valuables before proceeding to Marke village where they rustled some animals,” an eyewitness told the newspaper.

The witness further said when the advance team arrived at Turare and discovered what was going on, they parked their vehicles at the LEA Primary School in the village for some time, made some enquiries and when it was clear that the bandits had covered some distance, they continued with their journey, while shooting sporadically into the air until they passed the danger zone.

A resident of Marke, where the bandits were at the time the team arrived, also said, “It was after the bandits had left our village that the long convoy of the security personnel (advance team) passed, shooting into the air.

“From our understanding, it was the same group of bandits that killed the area commander around Zakka area that passed through Kwanar Dutse to Kunamawar Mai Awaki where they killed two people, then Kunamwa Babba, they killed two people also, one of whom was the husband of my sister-in-law,” he said.

He added that the same bandits proceeded to Unguwar Gurbai where they killed six people and then Doguwar Dankwambo where they killed two people and Unguwar Ido village where they killed another six people.

Meanwhile, residents of Kunkunni village said a fighter jet dropped a bomb, killing two people and injuring several others around 11 pm on Tuesday.

“The bandits passed by the southern part of the village with their herds of animals, but later we saw a bright light in the sky followed by a very thunderous sound. Later we discovered that two people had died and some injured.

“As I am talking to you, I just returned from the General Hospital, Dutsinma and I left nine people in critical condition at the emergency section of the hospital,” the resident said.

It was gathered that several others from Safana Local Government Area injured by the bandits during Tuesday’s attacks were also at the general hospital.

SaharaReporters on Wednesday reported that a fighter jet operated by the Nigerian Air Force bombed Kunkuna village in the Safana Local Government Area of ​​Katsina State, killing a yet-to-be ascertained number of villagers.

Though details of the incident were still sketchy, it was learnt that the pilots of the military jet “accidentally” hit the wrong coordinates while targeting a camp belonging to bandits in the area.

“A military jet earlier today dropped airstrikes on Kunkuna Village in Safana Local Government Area of ​​Katsina State. We cannot confirm the number of casualties now,” a source had said.

SaharaReporters called Edward Gabkwet, Air Force spokesman but the calls were not answered nor returned.

Confirming the incidents, a lawmaker representing Safana in the Katsina State House of Assembly, Abduljalal Haruna Runka, said a military fighter jet mistakenly dropped a bomb on Kunkunna village, where 14 people were injured.

“Yes, it was the Airforce fighter jet that dropped the bomb, and 14 people were injured. Eight were referred to the Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina due to their critical condition but a woman has died among them, while the remaining six are still at the general hospital, Dutsinma,” he added.

The lawmaker said the bandits were in Kwanar Dutse for two days and it was the same group that attacked the presidential advance team. 

He added that at least 12 persons were killed in different villages during the bandits’ rampage in the area.