How bandits, herdsmen killed 22 in Kaduna, Katsina, Taraba

This came as suspected bandits raided two villages in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State and killed 12 people, while many persons were injured. The bandits also sacked some villagers near Batsari town in Katsina.

Also, yesterday, bandits stormed Binnari and Jab Jab communities in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, where they killed two persons.

On Zangon Kataf killings, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Jalige, is yet to respond to enquiries over the incident at press time. 

However, a community leader said, yesterday that Kibori andAsha Awuce “were attacked by suspected Fulani militias on Monday evening, who shot sporadically, leading to the killing of about five persons while many others were injured. Houses were razed and foodstuff destroyed by  the attackers.

“At Atagjeh village, the suspected Fulani militias Tuesday night killed three persons, while three others sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment in a hospital.

“The attacks in Atyap chiefdom has become a routine affair by the suspected Fulani militias. Almost all the villages in Atyap chiefdom have been attacked while lives and property of unimaginable magnitude were destroyed.

“The worst part is that the attack on the villages by the suspected Fulani militias is now a regular thing and the natives are left to carry their cross with little or no security operatives to protect them from the attackers that are determined to wipe them out of their villages.”

The Batsari attack took place Tuesday night when the Muslims in the community were about to say their night prayers.

An eyewitness confirmed that two villages of Katoge and Yanturaku were attacked by the suspected bandits, where they sacked many villages and set houses and shops on fire. It was gathered that property worth millions of naira were lost to the fire.

The eyewitness said: “Two communities were invaded. The gunmen were said to have fired sporadically into the air to register their presence before going from house to house, looting valuables and harassing residents.”

Kastina Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo, confirmed that the bandits in their numbers invaded the villages, shooting sporadically with AK-47 rifles, attacked Katoge and Yanturaku quarters of Batsari LGA, killed 11 people and injured 13 persons.

Gambo, meanwhile, assured that the state Commissioner of Police, has deployed Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations with additional units of PMF personnel to the area to beef up security and restore confidence to the affected communities.

A source in Binnari and Jab Jab communities in Karim Lamido LGA, who craved anonymity, said the first attack was in Binnari village, where one person was killed and several houses razed by the bandits.

The attackers, according to a source, then moved to Jeb Jeb village, where another person was killed.

Chairman of Karim Lamido LGA, Hamidu Makus, confirmed the attacks via telephone. He, however, did not give any casualty figure at press time.

He informed that security operatives had been deployed to the area.