Francis Sardauna in Katsina, Linus Aleke in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City 

No fewer than six persons have been killed by bandits in a fresh onslaught on Jargaba community in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Also, a staff of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was reportedly killed while three Seminarians of the Catholic Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary School were abducted at Ivianokpodi, Agenebode in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.

This was as the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, yesterday, said that the evolving nature of modern threats, especially from non-state actors, criminal networks, and internal saboteurs, requires intelligence-led operations and proactive responses to surmount. 

The Air Chief made this statement during the graduation ceremony at the Nigerian Air Force School of Air Intelligence in Makurdi yesterday. 

The member representing Bakori Constituency at the State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulrahman Ahmed-Kandarawa, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview yesterday.

He said the marauding hoodlums invaded the agrarian community Thursday night, and moved straight to a gathering of six persons where they shot sporadically and killed them.

He stated that the Bakori Assistant Commander of the Katsina Community Watch Corps was among the six people killed by the bandits, adding that two children sustained gunshot injuries during the invasion. 

Ahmed-Kandarawa said, “I received calls yesterday (Thursday) from residents of Jargaba ward, which is among the 11 wards that we have in Bakori local government, that bandits attacked the community.

“At the time they attack the community, they move straight to a gathering of six people who were resting and open fire on them. They killed all of them on the spot.

“Among those killed is the Bakori Local Government Assistant Commander of Katsina Community Watch Corps. After the attack, we discovered two children that were hit by a stray bullet. They entered a house and reportedly abducted two persons.”

While praying for the repose of the departed souls, the lawmaker said he has reported the incident to relevant security agencies.

However, police and other security agencies in the state were yet to confirm the incident as of the time of filing this report.

The latest incident in Edo which occurred on Thursday night, came 10 months after two persons including a priest were kidnapped and one killed.

The Directorate, Social Communications, Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Rev. Fr. Peter Egielewa who confirmed the incident yesterday to journalists in Benin City, said the gunmen attacked the school at about 9:00p.m.

Egielewa expressed displeasure over the persistent attack on the Catholic school, personnel and its facilities.

“This is the second time in 10 months that the school has been attacked. Ten Month ago, a priest was kidnapped.

“And now three seminarians have been abducted and a Civil Defense Corps is killed, while a local vigilante sustained gun injuries

“We call on the government to protect the lives of all those who work in Catholic institutions and our diocese.

“We hope the security agencies at the local, state and federal level to take up the responsibility on that, so our people can be in peace and safety,” Egielewa said

Meanwhile, Air Marshal Abubakar also noted that these evolving challenges have necessitated a shift in how the Nigerian Air Force anticipates, prepares, and responds to emerging threats. 

Abubakar therefore charged the newly graduated officers of the Regimental Intelligence and Security Officers Course 4/2025 to bring clarity to uncertainty, foresight to decision-making, and resilience to operations as the Nigerian Air Force continues to reposition itself to meet emerging national security threats.

He stressed that the successful completion of the course is a major milestone in the NAF’s human capacity development efforts.

A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information at Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, explained that the course trained participants in intelligence collection, analysis, dissemination, and counterintelligence, adding that officers were drawn from various NAF branches to foster service-wide integration of intelligence principles and close intelligence gaps across operational theatres and air bases. 

The CAS commended the Commandant, instructors, and staff of the NAF School of Air Intelligence for their professionalism and expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support for the Service. 

He further assured that the Nigerian Air Force would continue to strengthen its capabilities in fulfilment of its constitutional mandate. 

Ejodame said the ceremony marks another strategic step in bolstering NAF’s intelligence capabilities as it intensifies efforts to remain ahead of adversaries in a volatile security landscape.