Gunmen kill 20 in fresh Katsina attack – Official

Armed men on Tuesday killed at least 20 people in Faskari local government area of Katsina State, the police have said.

The police spokesperson in Katsina, Gambo Isah, told PREMIUM TIMES that the attack occurred in Kadisau community when the bandits arrived on over 200 motorcycles.

“The bandits attempted to loot food items. However, the residents resisted their attempt. As a result, the gunmen opened fire and killed 14 residents on the spot.

“In the attack, 26 were also injured. Among the injured victims, six died on Wednesday morning. We recorded 20 deaths, and 20 injuries during the unfortunate incident,” Mr Isah told PREMIUM TIMES.

The police commissioner in Katsina has deployed more personnel in the affected area to prevent further bloodshed, he added.

Katsina is the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Assurances

Mr Isah said the ‘special forces’ deployed from Abuja have already ensured security in Jibia, Safana and Batsari local government areas.

He said residents in the aforementioned councils areas “are now sleeping with their two eyes closed. These areas were hitherto trouble areas because the bandits operate at will.”

The policeman said “the dangerous Danya forest, which housed the bandits’ leader, in Danmusa council area, which was hitherto inaccessible because of the terrain, is now liberated by the Nigerian security forces”.

He said bandits’ leader, identified as Manore, “built a modern house in the forest with Italian roofing, but the security forces have destroyed the building and killed hundreds of his boys while many fled”.

Mr Isah said although the special forces were carrying out operations, “they cannot cover the over 5000 villages in Katsina”.

“The security men cannot be everywhere at the same time. Even the area being attacked recently was a deliberate by the bandits to show that they are still breathing.

The attacks in Faskari, Sabuwa, Dandume will soon be over as the bandits days are numbered, the security forces are on top of the situation. The criminal wills no longer have a hiding place,” he said.