Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja and Agaju Madugba, Katsina
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin to constitute an assessment team and intervene immediately in the Katsina State killings and give him feedback.
The president spoke against the backdrop of the killing of over 30 people in three Katsina communities in a spate of two days.
He described the reports of killings in Katsina, his home state, as shocking and assured residents that government will restore peace and stability in the affecfted communities.
This was contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, yesterday.
Regardless, more than 30 people were killed after suspected bandits attacked some communities in the state between Monday and Tuesday.
Some of the affected communities are Mara Zamfarawa village in Danmusa Local Government Area, Sabon-Layin Galadima community of Faskari Local Government and Yar’Gamji village of Batsari council area of the state.
The suspects were said to have also carted away some animals.
Eleven people were reportedly killed at Sabon-Layin Galadima village.
Katsina State Police Command spokesman, Gambo Isah, said those killed in Faskari were members of a vigilance group. Five persons were reportedly killed at Mara Zamfarawa village on Tuesday.
The suspects were said to have attacked the residents while working on their farms, while in Batsari, they killed 10 person, leaving others injured.
Isa, who said the police have certain challenges in the fight against bandits in the area lamented that security personnel continued to record casualty when they go into confrontation with the bandits.
“The unfortunate situation is that, the police organisation is the only one that responds to distress calls at night and always available to these communities. But we are not appreciated despite our enormous challenges which are glaring to all.
Members of the communities should appreciate our efforts and partner with us rather than attacking us. We are there doing all we can do to protect them including paying the supreme sacrifice.”
Following the incident, youths from Batsari protested the killings and displayed the corpses before the the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabir Usman and Governor Aminu Bello Masari.
While Usman sympathised with the protesters over the incident, Masari said government would put measures in place to end banditry.