Residents blame telecom shutdown as bandits kill six, others missing in Katsina village

No fewer than six people were killed on Friday when gunmen attacked Gwarjo village, in the Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Residents identified the deceased as Abdu Bahillace, Ali Niga, Bello Yusuf, Dan Ulli, Samia Ayya and Abdullahi Ulli.

The gunmen were also said to have injured nine others, identified as Lawal Muhammed, Abubakar Sada, Muhammed Sani, Isyaku Yahaya, Muawiya Dogon, Gambo Arasi, Buhari Mamman, Ibrahim Garba and Mamuda Yahaya.

PUNCH Metro gathered that while the deceased villagers were buried on Saturday, some residents could not be accounted for as of Sunday.

Our correspondent learnt that the shutdown of telecommunications in the community prevented residents from seeking assistance from neighbouring communities and security operatives.

The gunmen, who arrived in the village around 9pm and shot indiscriminately, reportedly operated till the early hours of Saturday.

Efforts to get the reactions of the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Ahmad Katsina, proved abortive.

They neither picked their calls nor replied to text messages sent to their phones as of 4.45pm on Sunday.

(Courtesy The PUNCH)