The latest attack by armed men on the Shuwaki community of Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State has resulted in one fatality and at least seven injuries, adding to the recent spate of killings, injuries and abductions by armed men that has raised fresh concern over the escalating insecurity and mass displacement crisis facing the community.
The attack was carried out 1st August night, and follows a series of attacks this past week in Bakori, where residents have been targeted in repeated killings, kidnappings and livestock thefts in recent weeks.
Magaji, the former chairman of the council, said the attackers broke into Shuwaki between 9 p.m and 9.45 p.m and reportedly stayed on for about two hours, during which the gunmen also rustled cattle and sheep.
He says they then dropped one of the abducted women by Doma Village, where she was too sick to join the hike into the forest, and that 31 people are still held, most of them women, with some of the captives reportedly carrying infants.
Magaji said the attack had been spotted by security agencies during the attack, but the security operatives comprising police officers, soldiers and members of the Katsina Community Watch Corps who mobilised failed to rescue the victims and cap the escape of the attackers.
The attackers also took mobile phones and devices from charging centres from the residents, he added, and no ransom demand or communication has been received so far.
The latest raid came after an attack on Unguwar Dogo community and Alhazawa communities resulted in the injuries of residents and the theft of livestock. The attacks have been repeated since the end of July, prompting many families to leave their homes for safer ones, and others to live in fear, local sources said.
In the meantime, community leaders have alerted the public to the ongoing attacks that are negatively affecting farming activities and also noted that many farmers were losing their cattle to the attacks, which were actually used for farming.
The Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM) has voiced sadness over what it said was another set of Sunday night terror attacks that resulted in the death of a former legislator of Riyom Local Council Area.
In the affected villages in Torok, the former councillor, Daniel Danjuma Chong, was found dead by armed Fulani and hired bandits who invaded the village at about 10:45 pm on Sunday, local sources in the villages said.
According to BYM National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwon, the attackers, who are reportedly from the Fulani community, Kess, popularly called Bangai-Fulani, invaded the community sometime around 11 pm yesterday, shooting sporadically, killing Mr David Danjuma before making a run for it back to Bangai-Fulani.
BYM, while sympathising with the family of the deceased and the community, urged security agencies and the Plateau State Government to not only arrest the perpetrators immediately, but also to remove all the enclaves of terrorists within Bangai-Fulani if peace is to reign in Plateau State and its environs.
The BYM also demanded a total prohibition on open grazing, which it claims has always been an irresponsible use and cover for acts of terror and banditry in Riyom and the state in general.
Meanwhile, Justice Faruku Bunza of the Kebbi State High Court, who was abducted by bandits a week ago, has been set free and is back home, which has put a smile on the face of his family and judicial officers in the state.
A family member confirmed that he had arrived home a few hours before yesterday when newsmen arrived, the family member said. We are in joy and gratitude to God that we have returned safely from captivity.
The family also thanked the Kebbi State Judiciary, the security agencies and residents of the state for their support, prayers and solidarity during the time the judge was in captivity.
The circumstances of Bunza’s release will be made public later, it added.
However, at the time of reporting, the Kebbi State Judiciary or security agencies had not made any official comment on the case of the release of the judge.
