Terrorists storm Katsina, abduct nine persons

Terrorists on Sunday night stormed two residential areas in Dutsinma council area of Katsina state where they abducted nine persons, including four housewives.

The incident occurred at about 11:30 pm during a heavy downpour when the terrorists stormed the Katsina State Agricultural and Rural Development Agency (KTARDA) and Shema quarters in their numbers.

They were said to have ransacked a few houses and carted away valuables at the KTARDA quarters, while the abducted victims were from Shema quarters.

According to a source familiar with the incident, the terrorists, armed with AK-47 rifles and other related weapons, first story the house of one Usman Abdullahi and abducted his two wives and three other family members.

He said they went to the home of one Abdulaziz Lawal where they also abducted his two wives and two other family members.

He, however, said that both Abdullahi and Lawal had managed to escape from the homes shortly before the terrorists broke into their homes.

According to him, “The terrorists attacked Shema quarters in the numbers around 11:30 pm and abducted nine people during heavy downpour.

“They broke into the house of one Mallam Islam Abdullahi and abducted his two wives and three other family members.

“They later moved to the house of on Abdulaziz Lawal and also abducted his two wives and two other people in the house.”

He said the heavy downpour gave the terrorists a free hand to operate, and that the weather didn’t allow vigilante and security operatives to respond on time to the incident.

He lamented that the security situation in the area was becoming worrisome, even as he called on the government to intensify measures to address the situation.

The spokesperson for the police command in the state, SP Gambo Isah who confirmed the incident, however, said he cannot give details of what happened at the time of filing this report.

Isah said Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicles and some police officers were drafted to the scene of the incident and had engaged the terrorists in a gunfight. (The Guardian)