The residents of communities in Batsari and Jibiya local government areas of Katsina State have relocated to the headquarters of the two councils following recent alleged renewed bandit attacks in the two councils.
A community leader in Jibiya Local Government Area, Mallam Gide Dahiru, also revealed that many communities in the council were now on self-imposed curfew from 7 pm till morning to avoid being kidnapped or attacked by the bandits.
Dahiru, who is also the chairman of Jibiya Peoples Forum, alleged that three women were kidnapped along with their babies on Sunday in a village called Pulka Mobile along Zamfara road.
He also disclosed that the bandits injured two people who were later taken to the hospital on Monday.
Dahiru said, “The bandits now operate virtually on a daily basis in our communities.
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Many residents have either moved to Jibiya, the headquarters of the council while some who still stay in the communities now retire home by 7 pm to avoid being kidnapped or attacked by the bandits.
Many things are happening now. We beg God for intervention.” An investigation carried out in the Batsari Local Government Area also showed that bandits had recently increased their activities in the council.
Further findings also showed that the development had made many residents in the communities in the council to relocate to the headquarters of the council, Batsari, for their safety.
Those who have relocated are however staying with relatives and friends.
It was further learnt that apart from the weekend attacks carried out on four villages in the council by the bandits, many villages in the council had recently come under bandits attack.
A district head in the council, who pleaded for anonymity, disclosed that almost 30 victims were abducted in Garin Dodo in Kasai area while another 10 women were abducted in Biya-Ka-Kwana village during the weekend attacks.
He also disclosed that one person was shot by the bandits during the attack while a newly wedded couple were abducted in Bakon Zabo, also in the council.
Although residents put the number of those abducted by the bandits at 48, the spokesman for the Katsina Police Command, Gambo Isah, disputed the figures.
He said, “The number of those abducted was not as high as the figures being bandied and we are still collating the true figures as the attacks were carried out simultaneously in four villages. We shall let you have the figures when we get true figures.”
However, several calls put across to Governor Aminu Masari’s Special Adviser on security, Mallam Ibràhim Katsina, was not answered. He has also yet to reply the text message sent to him to clarify government stand on the development.
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