…Names next community to attack
Terrorists, locally dubbed as bandits, have released a video showing women and children they abducted from Maidabino town in the ?anmusa local government area of Katsina State.
The terrorists had on June 22, ransacked Maidabino, the third largest town in ?anmusa, where they killed about nine people and abducted 50 others, mostly women and children.
Reports said the attackers operated for several hours unchallenged due to their large number, as they were said to be on reprisal mission. During the attack, over 10 houses, 15 shops, and at least nine vehicles were burnt down by the marauding terrorists, who operated from 10pm last Saturday till about 2:30 am on Sunday.
Days after the ugly incident, the bandits released a video clip of 5 minutes and 41 seconds, in which they displayed the kidnapped people, asking to call on the government to come to their rescue.
In the video, the bandits claimed that members of the State-owned security outfit, the ‘Community Watch Corps’, were killing their wives and children, hence the reprisal attack on Maidabino. The bandits also threatened that ?anmusa town would be their next target of attack, which they boldly mentioned that it will done within a week.
Speaking in the video, one of the terrorists, clad in army uniform, carrying a machine gun, said not even the State governor could rescue the captives unless through dialogue. He said, “You see what your vigilante (Community Watch Corps) have caused you, and they cannot come and rescue you; not even Governor Ra??a could rescue you here, unless through reconciliation.”
“And if nothing is done towards reconciliation, this is just the beginning. I can open fire and kill all of you, and nothing will happen. We are going to attack Danmusa this week and we are going to bring their people here, you will see them. We will also bring your Community Watch Corps’ members here before you leave this place”.
Some residents of ?anmusa have reportedly relocated to ‘Yar-tsamiya town, a place already taken over by terrorists.
“What our people from Yar-tsamiya town are telling us is that the bandits have mobilised their people from Zamfara State, and they have already started planning the mega attack. They are holding meetings; we heard that they met about three times to perfect their plan, and we are afraid that if no pro-active measure is taken, these terrorists will wreak havoc in Danmusa”.
Another resident, who also confirmed the impending attack, said almost on a daily basis the bandits attack and kidnap people along ‘Yantumaki-?anmusa road, which is about 19 kilometres long.
“We are appealing to the Government to deploy more security personnel to this area in order to protect people from this impending attack, and also from the daily occurrence of kidnapping along the ‘Yantumaki road”, he stated.
He added that although the security forces and the Community Watch Corps are doing their best, they seemed to be overwhelmed.
