Hungry bandits mount road block in Katsina

Residents of some communities in Kankara Local government of Katsina State have raised alarm over the influx of bandits possibly dislodged from Zamfara State.

The fleeing bandits are said to have been moving to the area in droves.

A resident of Pawwa village, who was in Katsina on Friday, said the bandits have already mounted a gate where they conduct stop and search on commuters plying the Kankara-Zango road.

“Their main concerns now are food and fuel. They have some jerry cans where they collect fuel from motorists and whatever food stuff they see, they collect it. About two days ago, they ambushed two pickup trucks loaded with food stuffs and carted all the grains away,” the resident who pleaded anonymity said.

Another resident, who corroborated the allegation, said, “we want to draw the attention of the relevant authorities, particularly the security agencies to the imminent danger that we are facing. There are bandits already operating freely in our area, but our fear now is the rate at which they are increasing and we suspect that they are those fleeing from the military attacks in Zamfara,” he said.

Reports indicate that the routes in question are the ones through which the Kankara school attackers passed and abducted over 344 students in December.

The road is from Kankara to Tsamiyar Na Baushe, Unguwar Malali, Zangon Pawwa up to Dansabau which is on the border with Zamfara State.

When contacted, the police spokesman in Katsina, SP Gambo Isah, said, “There could be an incident or two where someone was stopped and fuel was collected from them, but that should not be a basis for generalisation.

“Look, these bandits are under immense pressure, they are desperately looking for what to eat now. We have reports where they discharge captives by receiving a little food stuff. So people should try to avoid peddling false news,” he said.

(Daily Trust)