The police in Katsina State have arrested four members of a vigilante group in Kwatawa village in the Safana Local Government Area of the state for the death of 17 civilians.
The suspects are Abdullahi Abubakar, 30; Lawal Abubakar, 28; Abdusalam Sani, 35; and Salisu Isah, 38.
It was gathered on Tuesday that the suspects mobilised and invaded Fulani settlements to avenge the killing of three of their colleagues by bandits.
It was learnt that the bandits, on June 7, wielded AK-47 rifles and stormed a farm at Illelain the same local government area and killed three members of the vigilante group, who were tilling the ground.
The murdered vigilantes were named as Ashiru Mansir, Muddaha Mandir and Jabiru Mansir.
The suspects were said to have carried out their revenge soon after burying their colleagues.
At the end of hostilities, 17 people were reported to have lost their lives.
Police investigation reportedly led to the arrest of the four vigilantes, who were suspected to be the brains behind the revenge attack.
The suspects have since been charged to court for criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide in contravention of sections 97 and 221 of the Penal Code.
They were arraigned before the Katsina Senior Magistrates’ Court presided over by Hajiya Fadile Dikko.
She ordered that the suspects be remanded in prison custody till August 22, 2019.
The order was sequel to an oral application by the police prosecutor, Sergeant Lawal Bello, who asked for more time for the police to conclude investigation into the matter.