Bandits abducts 4 women, others in Katsina

….As Police recovered 80 Cows, 70 Sheep

By: James Bwala

Residents of Safawa, a community in Dutsinma, Katsina state in Northwest Nigeria on Saturday said they are constantly at the mercy of bandits operating in the area.

A resident of the community who identifies himself as Umaru Muhammadu told NEWSng that it was only prayers that have been sustaining the people.

According to him there was an abduction last week of 12 persons including the junior brother to their ward head, adding that yesterday the abduction took place.

“We do not know the number yet but they were mainly women and girls that were taken by the bandits. The government has continued to deceive that they are working but we are not seeing any result from the claims being put across to the Nigerian public.” Muhammadu said.

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According to him, governor Masari had informed the people that he met with the President over the situation in Katsina severally but there was still no concrete solution to activities of bandits in the state.

“We were told the President is ours and the governor is also ours but bandits have continued to threaten our lives and we constantly pay ransom or levy as they would impose for them to be able to move freely in our villages.

“The government has imposed restrictions on how one can buy fuel at the fueling station for motorcycles. We cannot buy more than three litres of fuel for a motorcycle, which is about five hundred naira (N500). We were told this is to curtail the operations of the bandits. But the bandits always have their ranks full with fuel. So we don’t know who is supplying them when we cannot have a full tank within our locality.” He said.

NEWSng reports that this is coming even as the Police Command in Katsina State claimed that they have succeeded in killing two terrorists following a gun duel with the criminals.

Speaking on another development, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah said the Police had recovered One AK47 rifle and 150 animals from bandits. 

Mr. Isah however, did not explain the whereabouts of the abducted women and other residents or state whether or not the Police is doing its best to rescue them.

While addressing Newsmen on the development Mr. Gambo Isah said the DPO in charge of Mallumfashi reacted based on the distress call he received, that the bandits attacked the Gandu Karfi community where they abducted four women and went away with over 150 cows and sheep.

According to him, “the DPO, led a team of Policemen and ambushed the terrorist’s possible routes where they succeeded in killing one bandit, recovered one AK47 rifle, four rounds of ammunition, 80 cows and 70 sheep.”

Bandits abducts 4 women, others in Katsina