Bandits kill 13, abduct many in Katsina

The police say 11 people were killed but residents say the number has risen to 13.

Bandits have killed 13 people, wounded eight and abducted at least 17 others in an attack on Batsari town Tuesday evening.

The police spokesperson in the state, Gambo Isa, said 11 people were killed but residents of the town said the number has risen to 13.

The member representing Batsari at the State House of Assembly, Jabir Yau Yau, also confirmed the attack but said since he has not gone to the town he could not confirm the number of the people killed.

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He promised to contact this reporter when he visit the town and make his findings.

Abubakar Bishir, a local resident, told PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday morning that the dead were buried at the Batsari graveyard around 10 a.m. on Wednesday

“The bandits killed 13 people and we buried them today before I left for Katsina,” he said.

Mr Isa, the police spokesperson, told PREMIUM TIMES the bandits came in large numbers around 7:15 p.m.

“They came when some people were still in the mosque for the evening prayers. They came in large numbers and started shooting sporadically. 11 people were killed while eight were wounded in the attack,” he said.

Another source, Mukhtar Mamman, said the bandits’ attack lasted several hours.

“Because of the lack of access to the network, our people in the town could not seek security agents’ assistance, which made the bandits have a field day. They went from house to house, looting goods especially foodstuff. They also abducted about 13 people, mostly women, who they found hiding in their houses.”

He added that many injured persons have been hospitalised in Batsari and Katsina.

Batsari shares boundaries with Rugu forest and Jibia, which makes it the worst-hit area by banditry in Katsina State.

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