Bandits kill 21 in Katsina village

• As Reps decry Kaduna killings, abductions

By Christiana Ekpa, Abuja & Lawal Sa’idu, Katsina

Dare devil bandits riding on motorcycles have attacked Tsauwa Village in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State where they killed 21 persons, including children and women.

Several houses, food items and shops as well as motorcycles were burnt during the fresh invasion by the bandits as many other residents sustained gunshot wounds in the incident that lasted from 5pm to 6pm on Monday evening.

The member representing Batsari constituency at the state House of Assembly, Hon. Jabiru Yusuf Yau-yau, who also confirmed the attack to our Correspondent yesterday said the hoodlums killed many people in the village, adding that the Sate Commissioner of Police Sanusi Buba and other top security officers had visited the scene.

Abdulkadir explained that hundreds of residents, mostly women and children who survived the deadly invasion, had fled the village to Batsari, the headquarters of Batsari local government for fear of future occurrence.

He said: “About 270 bandits riding on motorcycles attacked our village (Tsauwa) yestersday (Monday) and killed 21 people. Right now, we have 21 dead bodies and none of the bodies have been taken to cementary and those who survived the attack are moving to Batsari town.

“Last time they killed 38 people and even few days ago they ambushed some people and killed nine. This is the third attack on Tsauwa village. In their first attack, they killed 38 people, the second time, they killed 11 people and yesterday (Monday) they killed 21”.

When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident.

He said he would brief journalists later on the incident.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday  condemned the incessant killings and abduction of persons, especially students by suspected bandits kidnappers in parts of Kaduna State, describing same as senseless.

This was just as the member representing the Chikun/Kajuru federal constituency of the State, where the most recent abduction took place, Yakubu Barde said it was time the federal government admits failure, and seek international assistance.

The House in its resolution on a motion brought up by Barde on Tuesday, while praying for the repose of the souls of all military personnel and other victims who lost their lives in the hands of blood thirsty gunmen, condole the bereaved families.

They also urged all security agencies to take necessary measures to ensure early and safe return of the abductees.

The House urged that as a matter of urgency, the federal government should increase its recruitment and training capacity for military men and police to close the gap between available and required manpower, calling for increase the presence of security agents within the area.

Barde, who spoke to journalists after his motion was unanimously adopted recalled that at about 2am on Monday, 140 students were abducted from Bethel Baptist High School located in Damshi, Chikun Local Government Area of the state, out which 28 reportedly escaped, leaving 125 still held in captivity by the abductors.

The lawmaker who lamented that the latest abduction was not the first within his constituency, citing the abduction and killing of some students of the Greenfield University.

He said, “I think the military is overwhelmed, and the federal government is overwhelmed. Even America seek help depending on what they want”.

He stressed that it was time the federal government seek assistance from the developed nations, “except we are hiding something”.

He also recalled how America made frantic efforts and successfully rescued a citizen who was picked in Niger Republic and brought into Nigeria (Sokoto).

“When will the life of one Nigerian matter? We have failed as a nation. This is not the first this is happening in my constituency.  Over N300 million ransom was demanded on the Greenfield University students, and to show how serious they were, five were killed. At the end, the parents have to rally round to pay, and as we speak, the school has been closed since April”, said.

Responding to a question on whether Nigerians should be allowed to carry arms in the face of failure of the government to protect them, the lawmaker said “for me I think the time has come. They should unban guns”, but was quick to caution that the necessary machinery should be put in place to ensure if such are used for crime, the offenders should face punishment.