•13 soldiers shot dead in Rivers, Borno, Ebonyi

•Policemen gunned down in Imo, Kebbi

•Bodies of two abducted Greenfields varsity students found

There was more bloodletting on Monday, with gunmen and bandits on a killing spree in different parts of the country.

There were tales of sorrow in Rivers, Kebbi, Anambra, Kaduna, Borno, Ebonyi and Imo states.

No fewer than 44 persons, including soldiers and policeman, were confirmed killed in the attacks accross the country, some of which occurred on Sunday.

Five soldiers were killed in Rivers; six policemen were killed in Imo; a divisional police officer, seven policemen and two vigilantes were killed in Kebbi.

In Anambra, gunmen killed nine residents; bandits killed two more abducted Greenfield university students in Kaduna, while residents were shot dead in Imo and Rivers.

The Army confirmed the killing of an officer and five soldiers in Borno on Sunday.

A day after soldiers, policemen and Customs officers were killed in attacks on checkpoints between Omagwa/Isiokpo/Elele Owerri Road in Rivers, gunmen struck again early yesterday, killing five soldiers in the state.

It was gathered that the gunmen attacked the soldiers at the Omelema community in Abua, Odua Local Government Area.

It was while an emergency security meeting was going on at the Police Headquarters on the Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

A source said the victims were attached to an oil company operating in the area.

Four of the soldiers died on the spot; two others sustained injuries.

A Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and eight policemen were killed in an attack by bandits in Dankolo, Sakaba, Makuku, Dokar Kambari and Kurmin Hodo villages, Sakaba Local Government Area in Kebbi State.

Sources said two operatives of the Yan-Sa-Kai vigilante group and an unspecified number of villagers were also killed.

“The bandits also suffered heavy casualties from our men,” a security source said.

A resident, Salisu Adamu, said: “The bandits carted away thousands of cattle from the villages and many food items. They came with more than 100 motorcycles, well-armed.

“They started shooting sporadically, which prompted the village people to flee for safety in different directions.”

The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed the killings.

Its spokesman, Nafi’u Abubakar, said: “DPO Sakaba, eight other policemen and two Yan-Sa-Kais lost their lives during a gun duel with the bandits.”

At about 7 pm pn Monday gunmen attacked the Okigwe South Police Area Command headquarters in Orieagu, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area.

No fewer than six policemen, who attempted to repel the assailants, were feared killed.

The gunmen freed suspects in custody and carted weapons away.

A source said: “We started hearing gunshots around 7 pm. It was after about one hour that some of us emerged from the bushes to check what happened and counted about six bodies of policemen.”

Police spokesperson, Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the attack.

“I can confirm an attack on Okigwe South Area Command headquarters in Ehime Mbano LGA, by yet to be identified gunmen.

“Five officers have been killed, while one is yet to be accounted for. The building is not razed, please,” he said.

Also on Monday, gunmen killed no fewer than nine persons suspected to be herders in Anambra State.

Chairman of Miyetti Allah in the Southeast, Alhaji Gidado Sidikki, who lives in Anambra, told our correspondent that 23 cows were also slaughtered.

The incident, according to him, happened at 2 am Monday at Modiyam Umaru camp in Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area.

The shooting scared students of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, some of whom hurriedly left.

“I don’t know what we’ve done to these people. Every day, they continue killing our people and their cows.

“In Ebonyi State, our people have been chased out of the place by the people and the remaining ones are still hanging without hope,” Sidikki said.

Commissioner of Police Monday Kuryas deployed men to the community to douse tension.