Bandits kill 30, burn houses, animals in Katsina

By Augustine Okezie, Katsina, Bolaji Ogundele/Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja/ Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi
A New wave of insecurity hit Katsina on Friday night with bandits sacking two villages and killing 30 people.

Several houses and some animals were burnt by the marauders.

Another gang of gunmen struck in Okpoga, Okpokwu local Government area in Benue State, abducting two doctors.

As the situation unfolded on Saturday the Presidency alleged a plot by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to unleash an ‘orchestrated’ protest march against the security service chiefs.

It claimed that 2000 people have been recruited for the protest slated for tomorrow.

The PDP swiftly dismissed the allegation last night as blackmail.

It asked the presidency to desist from hanging its shortcomings on the opposition.

Attacked on Friday night in Katsina State were Tsauwa and Dankar villages in Batsari Local Government Area.

Twenty-one people were killed in Tsauwa alone while efforts were on at press time yesterday to bury some of the victims.

Majority of the victims in the village were old people and children.

The bandits also burnt down houses, animal and food items.

The District Head of Batsari who is also Sarki Ruma, Alhaji Tukur Muaazu, described the incident as horrible.

He said, “I have never seen this type of destruction in my life. The bandits arrived here (Tsauwa) about 7 pm on Friday when residents were about observing Magrib. Some were also preparing to sleep. The bandits laid siege to the village, killing and destroying anything they sighted.”

He appealed to Governor Aminu Masari to come to the aid of the victims and to strengthen security in the community.

Police Commissioner Sanusi Buba visited the two communities yesterday for an on- the- spot assessment.

He confirmed to reporters that 30 people were killed by the bandit and said he was surprised by the attack.

“I still find it surprising that whatever could have been the motive, these people (suspected bandits) could still carry out these dastardly acts. We are, however, after them,” he said.

“Twenty-one people were killed in Tsauwa while nine were killed in Dankar.”

Some villagers who spoke to The Nation in Tsauwa village – Salisu Lawal and Baba Dahiru -said about 23 persons were killed in Tsauwa, while about 10 persons were killed in neighboring Dankar.

Dankar was like a ghost town yesterday as many residents have fled nearby towns to avoid further attacks.

Security personnel including police and the army as well as local vigilantes have taken up positions in the two villages.

Governor Masari recently named Batsari, Safana, and Jibia as local government areas still experiencing incessant banditry attacks because of the refusal of the bandits in those places to embrace the olive branch offered by government through dialogues

Gunmen abduct two doctors, one other in Benue

Unknown gunmen have also abducted two medical doctors and a medical recorder in Okpoga, Okpokwu local Government area of Benue State.

The State Police Command confirmed the development yesterday.

All three are said to be staff of the General Hospital, Okpoga.

They were on their way home after closing from work when the gunmen seized and whisked them away to an unknown destination.

The abductors were yet to establish contact with anyone yet about their victims.

Police spokesperson Sewuese Anene said the police were investigating the incident.

The abduction is the latest in the series of kidnappings and other crimes in the Benue South Senatorial District.

2,000 hired to protest against service chiefs on Monday — Presidency

The Presidency alleged on Saturday that the opposition, represented by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had hired about 2000 persons for an ‘orchestrated’ protest march against the security service chiefs tomorrow.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said in a statement in Abuja that a recent clip showing some people booing during President Muhammadu Buhari’s sympathy visit to Maiduguri last week was part of a scheme to sell a lie about the administration to the undiscerning.

Shehu described the brains behind the planned protest which, according to him, is patterned after those recently mounted against justices of the Supreme Court, as beneficiaries of Boko Haram terrorism.

– The Nation