Gunmen abduct 11 in Katsina

By ABDULRAHMAN UMAR

No fewer than 11 persons, mostly elderly women have been abducted by gunmen at Shinfida Village in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State.

They were abducted on their way to join other residents who earlier ran to a refugee camp for safety after their village came under attack by a group of gunmen suspected to be bandits.

Sources told Channels Television in a telephone interview on Saturday that the assailants invaded the village last night.

According to him, those kidnapped virtually lack the capacity to leave at the time most residents fled to safety due to their physical strength and some health conditions.

He recounted that having carried out the invasion on Friday night, the assailants planned to set the entire village of Shinfida on fire at about 7am on Saturday.

The source called on the relevant authorities to come to the aid of the people, including sending security personnel to the village to protect the residents and salvage what could be left of their properties.

On Friday, Channels Television had reported that seven children were killed, and several others injured in a stampede while residents fled Shinfida village following an attack by bandits.

Although the police authorities in Katsina have yet to confirm the incident, a resident of the area Abdulrazak Ahmad said the attack occurred on Thursday.

He blamed the incident on the evacuation and withdrawal of soldiers serving in a joint security task force from the area.

Ahmad said the withdrawn soldiers were initially stationed at the Government Secondary School in Shinfida – about 27 kilometres from Jibia town.

Bandits have attacked several communities in Katsina recently, one of which claimed the lives of two security personnel in Jibia Local Government Area.

Channels Television had reported the killing of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Jibia, Abdulkarim Rano, during a gunfight in February.

Although the casualty on the part of the gunmen could not be ascertained at the time, residents said a soldier was also killed and another injured. (Channels TV)