Again, gunmen storm Katsina community, kill two elders, kidnap many

Tragedy struck again in Katsina State on Tuesday night as bandits stormed Doguwar Ɗorawa, a community located just two kilometres from Guga in Bakori Local Government Area, killing two elderly leaders and abducting several residents.

Residents described the latest attack as “gruesome and heartbreaking,” lamenting that it adds to the relentless wave of assaults that have continued to claim lives and displace families across the region, despite the state government’s much-publicised “peace accord” with the armed groups.

Confirming the incident in a telephone interview on Wednesday, a community leader in Guga, Mahadi Danbinta Guga, said the slain victims were among the most respected elders in the area.

“Doguwar Ɗorawa was attacked yesterday (Tuesday) night. The bandits slaughtered two of the most influential elders Alhaji Bishir and his brother, Alhaji Surajo,” he said.

According to Guga, the bandits stormed the village around 10 p.m. and operated for more than an hour, killing and abducting without resistance.

“I’m on my way there now for their burial and to see the level of damage. Many people were abducted during the attack,” he added.

Speaking further, the community leader expressed frustration over what he called the routine nature of bandit attacks in the area.

“It’s now a normal thing to the bandits here. Hardly a day passes without an attack despite the so-called peace deal,” he lamented.

Residents suspect that the assailants are loyal to notorious bandit leaders Idi Abasu Aiki and Kwashen Garuwa, who have long terrorised Bakori and neighbouring communities.

“They parked their motorcycles in the bush and trekked into the village to unleash terror on innocent people,” he explained.

In a related development, another community, Layin ‘Yannehu, was attacked the same night, with bandits reportedly rustling a large number of animals.

The attacks come barely two weeks after similar raids on Ganjar, Alhazawa, and Gidan Nagari communities, where 43 people were abducted, forcing several families to flee their homes.

Government, security officials silent

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Katsina State Government nor the Bakori Local Government Council had issued any statement regarding the onslaught in the area.

Residents have continued to express anger over what they described as government silence and indifference in the face of worsening insecurity ravaging rural communities in Katsina’s southern zone.

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