At least 14 persons were killed and dozens injured when armed bandits carried out two separate attacks on communities in Katsina state on Tuesday.
The attacks occurred in Ɗandume and Musawa local government areas, according to residents and local sources. In the first incident, the bandits reportedly stormed Ɗansoda community in Ɗandume LGAs at about 8 p.m., killing 11 people.
According to a resident, the attack occurred shortly after residents had broken their Ramadan fast and were relaxing outside their homes. “People had finished breaking their fast and many were seated under trees outside their homes when the bandits suddenly arrived and began shooting”, the source said.
He added that residents fled in different directions as the attackers fired sporadically, while some victims were shot while attempting to escape. After the gunmen left, community members cautiously emerged from their homes and hiding places, only to discover that 11 people had been killed in the attack.
The victims were buried around 9 a.m. on Wednesday in accordance with Islamic rites, while the injured were taken to hospital for treatment.
In a separate incident the same day, bandits attacked Jiƙamshi community in Musawa local government area at about 6:10 p.m., killing three people and injuring several others.
Sources familiar with the incident said the attackers operated in the community for more than an hour, looting shops and carting away food items and other valuables worth millions of Naira.
The latest violence comes despite a recent peace agreement reportedly reached between some security-affected communities and repentant bandits in parts of the state.
The Police Command’s spokesman revealed that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Bello Shehu, has condemned the attacks and ordered a thorough investigation to ensure the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice.
