Twenty-six (26) people killed and two others wounded in a fresh bandits attack on Gidan Tofa and Dan Nakwabo villages in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The hoodlums in their numbers, armed with dangerous weapons were said to have attacked the two villages on Sunday.
During the attack that lasted for hours, the bandits shot and killed 20 people, injured two others, and ambushed an armoured personnel carrier vehicle attached to the police patrol team responding to the distress call, killing four police officers and two members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps.
The spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command Abubakar Sadiq in a statement on Monday revealed that the command is working with all relevant stakeholders in the state to prevent further occurrences and the arrest of the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
He added that the command has also deployed additional operational assets to the area.
“On the same date, at about 15:00 hrs, a distress call was received at the Kankara Divisional Headquarters that armed bandits in their numbers riding on motorcycles armed with dangerous weapons, shooting sporadically, attacked Gidan Baki village in the same Kankara LGA, killing unsuspecting villagers.
“Immediately, the nearest armoured personnel carrier (APC) patrol team was dispatched to the scene.
“While en route to Gidan Baki village, the team discovered that the attack was actually on Gidan Boka village via Yar Goje village, Kankara LGA, where they quickly redirected towards the scene.
“On the same date, at about 15:00 hrs, a distress call was received at the Kankara Divisional Headquarters that armed bandits in their numbers riding on motorcycles armed with dangerous weapons, shooting sporadically, attacked Gidan Baki village in the same Kankara LGA, killing unsuspecting villagers.
“Immediately, the nearest armoured personnel carrier (APC) patrol team was dispatched to the scene.
“While en route to Gidan Baki village, the team discovered that the attack was actually on Gidan Boka village via Yar Goje village, Kankara LGA, where they quickly redirected towards the scene.
Upon reaching Kurmeji village via Yar goje, the team fell into an ambush, where a firefight ensued between the team and the bandits.
“Upon receipt of the information on the attack of the responding team, swiftly the DPO mobilized and led a team of operatives to the scene and restored normalcy.
“During preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the armed bandits attacked Gidan Boka village, killing fifteen (15) people and injuring two (2) others.
“They also ambushed our patrol team and killed four (4) police officers (three (3) inspectors and one (1) corporal) and two (2) members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC).
Also, the bandits, while escaping through Dan Nakwabo village, Kankara LGA, shot and killed five (5) persons. Further development will be communicated as the investigation proceeds”, the statement added.
The statement quoted the State Commissioner of Police, CP Abubakar Musa as expressing his utter dismay over the tragic incident, extending his condolences to the families and friends of those affected by the incident.
