By JOHN ONAH, Abuja –
Indigenes of Katsina State, who reside in the nation’s capital in Abuja, have expressed great concern over the recent breakdown of law and order, across several villages and communities in the state.
The group, Concern Katsina Youth Vanguard, said the situation was not only displacing thousands of people locally, but now forcing a gradual exodus into neighbouring countries where they are further exploited and often maltreated.
In a statement made available to NATIONAL ACCORD in Abuja on Tuesday, the spokesman of the group, Mallam Abu Abubakar Makera, stressed that many of these non-state actors (bandits/terrorists), who are laying siege on their communities have plunged them into a state of helplessness.
Mallam Makers noted that the killings which ordinarily seem frightening has become a usual occurrence in most Katsina communities.
Reeling some of the attacks witnessed across the state since 2019 to date, Makera revealed that in December 2019 alone, over 29 attacks were launched on different communities within Dutsin-Ma LGA, adding that the area has recorded the highest armed attacks in the region.
Giving a timeline on some of the attacks witnessed across Katsina State in 2022, the group disclosed that on 4th July, bandits gathered at a village close to Zakka to planned a major attack on Dutsin-Ma and surrounding.
He said the very next day, on the 5th of July, the advance team of the presidential convoy was attacked at Marke village in Makera ward of Dutsin-Ma LGA and that same day, the gallant Police Area commandant, who attempted to approach them with his team, was ambushed and killed.
Also on the 13th of July, bandits attacked a village called Yar-budu and Kudewa and then on 17th of July, the bandits succeeded in invading Dutsin-Ma where they attacked KATARDA and Shema Quarters, kidnapping a 9 months pregnant woman alongside 11 other people in the process.
Narrating other attacks witnessed earlier in the year, Makera disclosed that on 30th May, 2022 Bandit attacked Sokoto Rima Quarters where they kidnapped an elderly person.
Also, about a month ago, gunmen believed to be bandits invaded Farfaru and Kwari communities in Jibia LGA, killing scores of people mostly women and children, while over 80 were kidnapped, shops and food barns were also burnt.
He added that bandits attacked Kwari community in Jibia local government abducted many villagers and left many others injured, stressing that those kidnapped were among the over 2000 fleeing villagers now taking refuge at a primary school in Jibiya town.
“To further show the high level of insecurity in the state, bandits recently opened fire on the convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari’s advance team heading for Daura, ahead of Sallah, near Dutsin-ma in Katsina.
“This ugly security threat is becoming worrisome and embarrassing because this is the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari who is the chief security officer of the country.
“It is obvious that the situation is beyond the security agents attached to the state. Therefore, we are using this medium to call on the federal government to deploy more security to the area before it is too late. Mr. President should act now,” he said.
He, therefore, called on government to recognize the fact that no one wants to invest in a country with huge security challenges, adding that the ugly situation faced in the state may likely translate to deepening unemployment and poverty across the country.
DISCLAIMER
The OPINION / COLUMN is authored by independent contributors to the National Accord Newspaper. While contributors adhere to our editorial guidelines, they are not employed by the National Accord Newspaper. The perspectives and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the National Accord Newspaper or its staff.