Passengers, Farmers, Others Killed As Bandits Hit Katsina Communities

According to reports, at least 17 individuals lost their lives in distinct assaults by bandits across various communities within the Kankara local government area of Katsina state.

The latest incident which occurred on Thursday involved a commercial vehicle which came under bandits attack near Dan Marke village along Kankara – Marabar Kankara road while returning from a market.

A resident told our reporter that five persons were killed on the spot, including the driver simply identified as Dan Mashi, while others who sustained gunshot injuries were receiving treatment at a hospital.

He added that two among the passengers were abducted, including the son of the deceased driver.

Also earlier on Thursday morning, seven farmers were reportedly killed on their farms at Katsalle community near Mabai, in the same Kankara local government area.

A resident who confirmed the incident said earlier in week the bandits had also killed three farmers on their farms as they vowed not allow the farmers to cultivate their farms this season.

“All these places were farms that are very close to the villages. We have for long forsaken our farms that are far away from our villages due to fear of attack, and it is unfortunate that they kill now in most cases rather than just abducting people for ransom,” he said.

In a separate incident, two were reported killed at Unguwar Daudun Noma by bandits suspected to have attacked the vehicle.

Daily Trust observed that the major fear of the affected communities was their inability to peacefully access their farms, especially as prices of food items have gone through the roofs and their farms are their only source of livelihood.

However, while chatting with members of the press on Wednesday as part of his one year anniversary in office, the Katsina state governor, Mallam Dikko Umar Radda, acknowledged the threat pose by the terrorists to farmers and promised that his government in collaboration with security agencies were taking measures to arrest the situation.

Katsina state police spokesman, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, could not be reached for confirmation as at the time of filing this report.