Residents flee Katsina villages as bandits kill, abduct

The return of banditry has forced residents of some villages in Katsina state to flee their communities. There were palpable fear and tension following unabated cases of kidnapping and animal rustling despite the amnesty deal by the state government. Residents in Batsari, Safana, Jibia, Dutsinma, and other communities have fled their homes to a relatively […]

The return of banditry has forced residents of some villages in Katsina state to flee their communities. There were palpable fear and tension following unabated cases of kidnapping and animal rustling despite the amnesty deal by the state government.

Residents in Batsari, Safana, Jibia, Dutsinma, and other communities have fled their homes to a relatively safer area, Daily Trust Saturday gathered.

The recent resurgence of banditry had forced people to pay a substantial amount of money as ransom to free kidnapped relatives.

Some Dutsinma residents led the cries when they compiled a list of attacks in their council to draw the attention of their unending woes. The list showed that the town and its neighbouring villages were attacked on more than 30 different occasions. During those attacks, in December 2019, two people were killed and 13 persons abducted. They said some of the victims were released after payment of ransoms while others are still in captivity. Over 300 animals were also rustled.

Many residents, especially the elite and wealthy, had left the community to Katsina town and other places perceived to be safer. People remaining in the community are now vigilant and prayerful.

A victim, Shamsu Yusuf, whose wife and child were kidnapped but freed after paying ransom said “Dutsinma town is under a siege because attacks happen every day. Yesterday I could not sleep because of gunshots.

“It was this morning that I leant they kidnapped someone again. And rustled many animals in neighbouring villages,” he said.

He said the government should ensure the security of lives and property, “the moment it can’t provide this, then there is a failure in government,” he explained.

Sufyan Ahmad, the chairman of Dutsinma United for Peace and Stability Association, said residents are disturbed by the incessant attacks adding that it calls for intervention from concerned authorities.

Chairman of Unguwar Tsamiya Youth Development Association, Sani Haruna said government and security personnel must protect the people from bandits.

The District Head and Yandakan Katsina, Alhaji Sada Muhammad called for continuous prayers, “because by the grace of God government and security organisations are aware of what is happening,” he said.

He urged the residents to continue praying because the government knows what it ought to do on what is happening in the area.

In Jibia, the elders and relevant stakeholders held an emergency meeting to proffer solutions to the cases of banditry. They later met with Secretary to the State Government, Mustpaha Inuwa, the state police commissioner, Sanusi Buba and the commander of the 17th brigade in the state.

Jibia local government area is a border community and also shares a border with the Rugu Forest that harbours bandits.

Residents said the town and its villages have recorded several attacks. The attacks had also led to the loss of lives and destruction of property. They said community economic viability is affected by the insurgency especially its border weekly market.

Also, several attacks in Shinfidda, Gurbi, Mallamawa, Farfaru, Daddara amongst others have made life miserable for residents. Residents said a medical practitioner, Shamsu Yusuf, was kidnapped and a ramson of N5million was demanded by his abductors.

Also, the villages of Jabiyawa and Kwararen Fulani were attacked. One person was kidnapped and many cows rustled.

Gunmen, last week, stormed the residence of a businessman and a  traditional title holder of Sardaunan Jibia, Alhaji Tasi’u Wali in  Jibia town killing one Ibrahim Usman and abducting three others.

Those abducted were his nursing wife, Asma’u Tasiu, her one-year-old  baby Husna Tasi’u and his secretary Abu Abu.

Sources said that the gunmen attacked the residence at about 8.30 pm and shot into the air. The spokesman of the state police command, SP Gambo Isah said a stray bullet fired by the bandits hit Ibrahim Usman who later died while receiving treatment at the hospital.

He said the bandits took the victims into the forest and operation Puff Adder and Sharandaji including SARS Patrol Teams are combing the forest to arresting the gunmen.

Witnesses said about 10 masked-bandits in long gowns and armed attacked the Attakawa area in Unguwar Wali of the town immediately after Isha prayers. The witnesses said the gunmen circled a group of people and accosted one of them thinking it was Tasi’u Wali, instead it was Ibrahim Buraima.

They said the bandits collected his money, phone and dragged him along with another person who is nursing a leg wound to a generator house behind Tasiu’s residence.

The witness said a stray bullet hit a 22-year-old tailor who later died while the bandits were leaving the community.

A Jibia resident who pleaded anonymity said gunmen struck at the town square and left on foot without any resistance by security operatives. The resident said the gunmen had for N150m as a ransom for the release of  the abducted persons.

A university don, Abdusamad Umar Jibia said “the peace accord had come and gone and the many of us who were against it have now been vindicated. Immediately after the peace meetings, the armed bandits moved freely brandishing their arms among the people. They sold stolen  property freely in our markets and broke shops and confiscated personal belongings like phones and cash from individuals”

“Just like they attacked Katsina after negotiating peace with Zamfara, they also attempted to extend their terror to the neighbouring Niger republic. Of course, it has proven to be unsuccessful due to the vigilance of the Nigerien security forces” he said.

According to him, another worrisome trend is the marriage between rice smugglers and bandits. Rice smugglers who fail to obtain prior clearance from bandits have their rice and valuables confiscated.

In Batsari local government area, residents are fleeing to Katsina due to constant attacks. Malam Aliyu said, “we live in fear of these bandits, my daughter about to be married was the first to be relocated to Katsina for fear of molestation from the bandits.”

An elderly man Muhammad said “every night these boys come out to  harass and intimidate us, we are tired, they have guns and use at  will, all our farm produce, like watermelon can’t be harvested, they are presently asking for N700, 000 for freedom from us.”

Reacting to the resurgence of banditry in the state following an  amnesty programme of the state government the Special Adviser to the  government on security, Ibrahim Katsina said nothing went wrong with  the Amnesty and dialogue program because security issues are about networking and a gradual process”

“This dialogue had greatly reduced banditry, but definitely there must  be pockets of occurrences being carried out by recalcitrant who are  not down with the efforts,” he said

“Most of those that key into the agreement and dialogue have upheld their ends of the bargain, they did not renege in their promises but there are some recalcitrant among them “ he added.

“We are presently trying to network members of the community to be alive to their responsibilities and partner with security agencies, so that it will be reduced,” he said.

“I assure you the way we want to repackage this new move will be a sustainable that will bring peace in the land so that Katsina will be a role model for other states. We have understood our first mistakes in the first dialogue efforts and we are trying to address them in this second one,” he said

He said “crime is a network; these bandits can come from anywhere. What matter most is the criminality to stop so that our people can have normal lives.”

The state commissioner of police Sanusi Buba said the command has redeployed the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) stationed at Safana to Dutsinma to reinforce the area command.

On problems of kidnapping in the state, Buba said “we have problems with indigenous members of the community who go about giving information about the presence of prominent or relations of prominent people or connived with unrepentant bandits.”

He said “criminals always want to strive in the execution of the acts, they won’t relent just as we won’t as well, and we are worried about activities of informants who give information on people to the bandits”

“I want to appeal to people; I know how difficult it is when  relations are captured, but all over the world the payment of ransom  has always been the bane behind any effort to address kidnapping, so  long ransom is paid, kidnapping will continue, collaborate with us whenever kidnap happens we will do everything possible to frustrate them,” he said

“The whole idea is not to kill anybody, people should not panic and go behind police paying a ransom, so long as the ransom is paid, so long that this rubbish will continue because that is the measure attraction” he added.