Katsina: Killings, Kidnappings return

Bandits late Monday night launched a coordinated raid on some communities in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing eight persons and kidnapped an unspecified number of others.

The attackers, according to locals, invaded Unguwar Alhaji Barau, Gidan Dan Mai-gizo and Gidan Hazo communities in Na’alma Ward of the local government area where they operated for several hours.

Witnesses said the bandits also blocked Dayi-Na-Alma Road where they seized motorcycles and dispossessed people of their phones and money.

8 killed, many flee

Residents said three persons were killed at Gidan Naino under Na-Alma Ward, one at Unguwar Alhaji Barau village and two each at Unguwar Maigizo and Unguwar Hazo villages.

It was gathered that sheep were also rustled at Unguwar Galadima.

The incident was said to have forced many villagers to flee in panic.

The incidents were seen as a failure of peace deals negotiated with the bandits in several local government areas of the state to halt attacks on vulnerable communities.

Many communities covered by the deals have reportedly witnessed a steady influx of bandits, who move in and out freely, often without restriction, heightening security fears among residents.

As of November last year, 18 of the 34 local government areas in the state had entered into agreements with bandits. While some of the local government areas have recorded relative calm, others continue to suffer attacks despite the negotiations, raising doubts about the effectiveness of the deals.

18 LGAs that signed peace deals with bandits

The 18 LGAs that have entered peace agreements are Kankara, Kafur, Malumfashi, Funtua, Batagarawa, Charanchi, Sabuwa, Dandume, Faskari, Matazu, Musawa, Safana, Kurfi, Dutsinma, Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa and Bakori.

Under the various peace agreements that were reached, community leaders and traditional rulers pledged to respect the terms; while bandits agreed to cease attacks and release captives.

Critics have repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of these peace deals. Many of the truces were brokered by community leaders rather than directly by the state government, which publicly maintained it would not formally negotiate with armed criminals.

A resident of Unguwar Maigizo, Abdul-aziz Abdulaziz (Sardaunan Matasan Malumfashi), who spoke to our correspondent yesterday, said: “İ want to believe that people who are opposed to the peace deals are responsible for all of these attacks. I also want to suggest a constant patrol and stop-and-search operations along major highways and local routes in the affected communities.”

Locals, who spoke to Daily Trust, expressed concerns that bandits struck at the eastern part of Malumfashi Local Government Area on a daily basis, especially in communities at Dayi and Na-Alma Wards.

One of them, who asked not to be named, said residents now live in fear and called for deployment of more security operatives to the affected communities.

“I can tell you without mincing words that those terrorising our communities are the same children of the repentant bandits and the remnants of bandits who are opposed to the peace deals,” he alleged.

According to him, there should be a declaration of total war against bandits and their collaborators.

When contacted yesterday, the spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command, Abubakar Sadiq, neither answered several calls nor replied to text messages sent to him by our correspondent.

One of the leaders of the Katsina Elders Forum, Bashir Kurfi, had reportedly faulted the peace agreements, saying a situation where the bandits are allowed to dictate the terms does not augur well for the security of the communities.

“When they come for this meeting of the peace deal, the bandits dictate where the meeting should be held, who should come, and they come with their arms. In the case of our local government in Kurfi, I know,” he had been quoted to have said.

He recounted a recent experience where the bandits directed that the peace deal “should be held in one village about five kilometres out of the main town at 9am but did not turn up for the meeting until 3 pm.”

The governor of Katsina State, Umar Dikko Radda, has consistently stated that he is not going to enter into any peace agreement with bandits.

“My stance as a governor is that I won’t negotiate with bandits at the point of weakness, I will not start begging bandits to come and negotiate with me,” Dikko was quoted to have said in a recent media interview.

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