Agaju Madugba, Katsina
In what may be described as collapse of the peace pact which government said it reached with armed bandits and kidnappers in Katsina State, reports indicate that the hoodlums have resumed their activities with sporadic attacks on communities in parts of the area.
The latest attack, according to the police, occurred on Sunday evening with the abduction of some traders on the Batsari-Jibia road.
From an initial report of 40 victims being kidnapped, the police said, however, that only seven persons were still being held by the bandits as at yesterday evening.
A press statement signed by the police public relations officer in the state, Gambo Isah “what truly happened was that yesterday January 5, 2020, at about 18 hours, bandits numbering over 60 and armed with AK 47 rifles blocked the Jibia – Batsari road, exactly at Ruma village.
“They forcefully stopped two J5 vehicles and took the occupants of the vehicles into the bush.
“A search party led by Operation Puff Adder went after the hoodlums but succeeded in rescuing some of the victims with the exception of seven others.
“The police in collaboration with community members are combing the bush with a view to rescuing the remaining seven persons not seen.”
On New Year Day, the police confirmed the abduction of six teenage girls by armed bandits at Mata-Mulki village also in Batsari Batsari Local Government Area of the state.
A day later, in the early hours of January 2, 2020, a band of cattle rustlers struck at the home of a businessman, Ahmed Haruna, of Kamfanin Daudawa village, in Faskari Local Government Area, beat him up to a state of coma and robbed him of an unspecified sum of money and other valuables.”