The police have confirmed an attack by terrorists on Rugar Kusa village in Musawa Local Government Area, Katsina State, during which a total of nine residents lost their lives.

The Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, said the hoodlums, armed with AK47 rifles, launched an attack on a Malaud procession in the area, at about 10.30pm, last Sunday, killing seven people on the spot.

Upon receipt of a report on the attack, the police, in a press statement, yesterday, said “police operatives were mobilised and swung into action, where they succeeded in repelling the attack.

“Seven people were shot dead and 18 people sustained gunshot injuries as a result of the attack and were evacuated to the General Hospital, Musawa, for medical attention. However, two people out of the injured were confirmed dead by doctors while receiving treatment. The investigation is still ongoing and efforts are on with a view to arresting the perpetrators of the dastardly act.”

Also, suspected bandits struck in Allawa Community, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, killing one person while two vehicles conveying villagers to the Allawa market were burnt with the goods, including some motorcycles.

The bandits were said to have ambushed the villagers on their way to the market and, in the process of escaping from being abducted, one of the passengers was shot dead by the gunmen.

A source close to the community told Daily Sun that some soldiers, who had gone to respond to distress calls following the attack, were said to be missing as their vehicle came under attack from the gunmen.

As of the time of filing this report, reinforcement had been sent to the troubled community by the military, but the District Head of Allawa, Alhaji Ibrahim Allawa, who confirmed the attack, said the assailants took the community unawares, describing it as one attack, too many.

“This is the situation we found ourselves in this community, but thank God for the presence of security agents in the community, if not, the situation would have been worse than this because no month passes without one attack or the other.

“As I speak with you now, some members of the community are still with some gunmen in the bush.

“My people have sold all their farm produce to pay for ransom, and there is no end to these attacks; we are under siege”.

Neither the state government nor the state police command had made any statement on the latest incident as of the time of filing this report.    

Source: The Sun