The village head of Daddarar village in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State, and six other People have been killed, after armed bandits raided their communities early Thursday.
It was gathered that the criminals also abducted five other residents.
A resident of Daddara, whose daughter was among the abducted victims, said at Daddarar Liman, the gunmen killed Alhaji Jafaru Rabiu, popularly known as Magaji Yangayya, who was the village head, and his house help, Malam Mansir Danye.
He said: “At Daddarar Liman, they killed the village head, his servant and abducted some people, including my daughter who is married there.
“Here in the main Daddarar village, they killed four people and also abducted some, altogether, they killed six people and abducted five.”
He said among the abductees was also a maid who was about to get married, adding that several other people sustained injuries during the attack including his neighbours.
The resident, who pleaded anonymity, added that the attackers conducted a house-to-house search where they carted away animals and collected other valuables, including their money, from residents.
He added that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), from Jibia was able to scare the attackers out of the villages.
Police Public Relations Officer in Katsina, SP Gambo Isah, while confirming the incident, said five people were killed, including the village head while one person is missing.
“The bandits, carrying sophisticated weapons, invaded the village around 11:30pm (Wednesday) and started shooting.
“By the time our DPO arrived in the company of some military personnel, he met the bandits trying to move away with some people and animals, they exchanged gunfire and chased the bandits away, but one woman is still missing,” he said.
SP Isah added that there were influx of bandits into Katsina State as a result of the ongoing military operations in Zanfara and Sokoto states, the problem the security operatives in the state were trying to contain.
“Notorious bandits like Dankarami, Abdulkarim and some Turji boys are seen in Katsina and they are converging around Tsambe area in Jibia local government.
But there is synergy now between all the security agencies here and we are trying to flush them out,” he added.
Bandits are still attacking villages in Nigeria’s North West despite the ongoing operation by security forces to clear the area of all criminals.
Credits/PRNigeria