No fewer than 26 people including four police officers were killed and two others wounded in a fresh bandit attack on Gidan Tofa and Dan Nakwabo villages in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.
According to reports, the terrorists in their numbers, armed with dangerous weapons, were said to have attacked the two villages on Sunday.
In the course of the hours-long attack, the bandits ambushed an armoured personnel carrier vehicle belonging to the police patrol team responding to the distress call, killing four police officers and two members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps.
They also shot and killed twenty people, injuring two more. In a statement released on Monday, Katsina State Police Command spokesman Abubakar Sadiq said that the command is collaborating with all pertinent state stakeholders to stop future incidents and apprehend those responsible for the heinous deed.
Furthermore, he revealed that the command has also deployed additional operational assets to the area.
“On the same date, at about 15:00 hrs, a distress call was received at the Kankara Divisional Headquarters that armed bandits in their numbers riding on motorcycles armed with dangerous weapons, shooting sporadically, attacked Gidan Baki village in the same Kankara LGA, killing unsuspecting villagers.
“Immediately, the nearest armoured personnel carrier (APC) patrol team was dispatched to the scene.
“While en route to Gidan Baki village, the team discovered that the attack was actually on Gidan Boka village via Yar Goje village, Kankara LGA, where they quickly redirected towards the scene.
“Upon reaching Kurmeji village via Yar Goje, the team fell into an ambush, where a firefight ensued between the team and the bandits.
“Upon receipt of the information on the attack of the responding team, swiftly the DPO mobilised and led a team of operatives to the scene and restored normalcy.
“During preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the armed bandits attacked Gidan Boka village, killing fifteen (15) people and injuring two (2) others.
“They also ambushed our patrol team and killed four (4) police officers (three (3) inspectors and one (1) corporal) and two (2) members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC).
“Also, the bandits, while escaping through Dan Nakwabo village, Kankara LGA, shot and killed five (5) persons. Further development will be communicated as the investigation proceeds,” the statement added.
In the statement, State Commissioner of Police CP Abubakar Musa expressed his condolences to the families and friends of those affected by the incident, expressing his profound dismay over the terrible attack.
