Terrorists kill Imam, two others, abduct 32 in Katsina
• State police can solve nation's security challenges, says gov • Deploy tech against kidnappers, bandits, monarch tells FG
SUSPECTED terrorists ha ve killed three persons, including 65- year- old Imam, Bashirujibrin, at Yandaka village, Batsari Local Council of Katsina State.
The gunmen, who reportedly struck on T uesday about 9.00pm, also abducted more than 32 persons, including women and children.
Among the deceased was a 12- year- old boy simply identified as Haruna.
Some of the injured were still receiving treatment in hospitals till press time, yesterday.
A source said the terrorists, armed with automatic weapons, stormed the community in their numbers, and moved from house to house dragging out hapless residents.
When contacted, spokesperson for the police command in the state, ASP Abubakar Aliyu, promised to get across t o the Divisional Police Officer ( DPO) of the council to get information on the incident and revert.
MEANWHILE, Governor Dikko Radda has advocated the establishment of state police in the country, to effectively tackle the security challenges bedeviling the country.
Radda stated this at a twoday roundtable on insecurity in Northern Nigeria, with the theme, ‘ Multi- dimensional Approach to T ackling Insecurity in Northern Nigeria’, at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre ( NARC), in Abuja.
In a statement, yesterday , by his spokesperson, Ibrahim Mohammed, the governor lamented the surge in security challenges in the countr y, especially in the North W est region. Radda, according to the statement, noted that the situation led to socio- economic problems, and that addressing the challenges by a concerted effort had become necessary. The statement reads: "The governor said that establishing state police remains the big elephant in the room when it comes to states taking charge of security.”
EMIR of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, has advised the Federal Government to deploy digital strategy and technology to nip the resurgence of criminal activities in Nigeria in the bud.
Raising concerns on the raging insecurity, especially on the highway and communities across the country, the monarch challenged the authorities to take advantage of modern technology to clear the nefarious act of bandits and others terrorising citizens.
He made the call, yesterday, when he received the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, in his palace on courtesy.