Village Head, 9 Others Killed, Abducted in Katsina
Multiple attacks on Friday night on some villages in Katsina State by bandits led to the death of another traditional ruler, nine others and the abduction of many people, our correspondent gathered yesterday.
The village head of Mazoji and Sarkin Fulanin Fafu, Alhaji Dikko Usman, was reportedly killed by bandits in Mazoji Ward of Matazu Local Government Area.
His killing came a few weeks after another traditional ruler and district head of Yantumaki, Atiku Maidabino, was killed in his palace in Yantumaki district of Danmusa Local Government Area.
Sources told our reporter that the body of Usman was riddled with bullets and several machete cuts. The bandits who went away with some mobile phones from his house also broke into some provision stores in the area, taking away food items.
Two other persons living adjacent to the village head’s house were also attacked, one was killed while the other was injured.
Usman, who is survived by three wives and 38 children, also worked with the dental department of the Kankia General Hospital until his death.
Armed gunmen also attacked Yankara town and some neighbouring villages in Faskari Local Government Area, killing eight people and leaving 10 others injured. Many other people are missing and feared abducted after the attack which came three days after over 60 people were killed during an invasion of the town and some villages by bandits.
The police were yet to comment on the incidents at press time yesterday.
In a related development, a woman, Hadiza Gajere of Yarmalamai Ward in Faskari Local Government Area has regained freedom, six weeks after her abduction.
A statement from the Director of Press Abdullahi Yar’adua at the office of the Secretary to the State Government said the woman was brought to the SSG around 11:00pm Friday night by the Commander, 17 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Katsina, Brigadier General B. Idris along with some officers from the National Intelligence Agency who intercepted Hadiza in Gusau, Zamfara State.
Receiving her, Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa said the government was worried about recent attacks by bandits and urged people of the state to be patient and not lose confidence in the security agencies as government was doing its best to check banditry.