Saharareporters gathered that bandits, fleeing Zamfara and adjoining states in the northwest, may have found safe havens far away in the northeast on Damare Hill in the Maiha Local Government Area.
Border communities of Holma and Sorau in the Song and Maiha local government areas respectively of Adamawa State have been forced to abandon their homes and farmlands amid bandits' scare.
Saharareporters gathered that bandits, fleeing Zamfara and adjoining states in the northwest, may have found safe havens far away in the northeast on Damare Hill in the Maiha Local Government Area.
Some residents of Holma have expressed fears about the heavy presence of bandits on the Damare hill, with new arrivals believed to be joining every day.
One of the residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, "The hills have been occupied, this place is no longer safe."
"Occasionally they come down to collect foodstuffs without paying for it; so far, they've kidnapped about four persons from this community," he added.
Babangida Mallum from Sorau noted that the community may soon fall into the hands of the marauding bandits, as according to him, the Zamfara experience where innocent citizens are being killed daily would be replicated.
"Bandits are regrouping at an alarming rate here on Damare hills, government must act fast.
"The situation might go out of control because the hills stretch into the Republic of Cameroon, as such it might be difficult to dislodge the bandits once they settled properly," Mallum added.
The Adamawa State police command through its spokesperson, SP Suleiman Nguroje on Monday, announced that its operatives killed three bandits during a gun battle on the Damare hills.
"Further to the Command's renewed commitment to enhance proactive strategies, on the 30/7/2022, the Command disconnected a criminal network at Damare Hill, connecting part of Holma and Sorau in Song and Maiha local government areas.
"The operation, which was carried out by the Command operatives attached to Sorau Division and the hunters at Damare Hill, a grazing reserve that is situated at a remote side of Sorau District, Holma Village in Maiha and Song Local Government Areas and border of Cameroon Republic yielded positive result.
"The outcome of these successes is as a result of the follow-up strategy designed by the command to checkmate cases bordering on kidnapping, armed robbery, cattle rustling, unlawful possession of firearms, amongst others.
"The suspected kidnappers upon sighting our men engaged them in a gun duel, as a result three (3) of them were neutralized, others escaped with bullet wounds while 4 kidnap victims were rescued unharmed," Nguroje said.