At least 23 persons were reportedly killed in separate attacks on villages in Kaduna and Katsina states, by emboldened bandits
Eleven persons were killed on Sunday by suspected bandits at Kurmin Masara in Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The state’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, confirmed the incident in a statement, on Monday.
He said personnel from the Nigerian Air Force Special Forces who responded to distress calls from the area were also ambushed as they moved to the scene.
He said the security forces were, however, able to clear the ambush and arrived in the general area.
Aruwan said eleven people in the village had been confirmed dead, with many others injured.
“Security personnel have begun search-and-rescue operations and are pursuing the attackers on multiple fronts,” he said.
He said, “Governor Nasir El-Rufai has expressed regret for the event. He prayed for the souls of those killed and also expressed condolences to their families, and wished the injured a swift recovery.”
Kaduna is one of the North-west states most affected by banditry where terror groups kill and kidnap residents at will.
Other states affected by such attacks are Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara as well as Niger in the North-central region.
The attacks have continued despite repeated pledges by President Muhammadu Buhari and the deployment of more security personnel to the states.
In the same vein, at least 12 people were killed when a notorious banditry kingpin, Dankarami, on Friday attacked a village harbouring another bandit, Mani Turwa, who recently repented.
During the attack that lasted four hours, Dankarami’s men burnt down a section of Illela in Safana Local Government Area of Katsin a State.
A top officer at the operations department of the Katsina police command told newsmen that the attack was led by Dankarami himself.
The officer declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
Residents said the bandits attacked came in large numbers. One of the residents, who has now taken refuge in Katsina, said “the bandits were more than 500 because each motorcycle carried three of them.”
The police command’s spokesperson, Gambo Isa, confirmed the attack. He said several residents were killed but the number had not been confirmed.
Turwa was said to have convinced other bandits living in the Illela forest neighbouring the dreaded Rugu forest to also surrender their arms and turn a new leaf.
Those who repented include Sale Turwa (Mani’s relative), Ado Sarki and Sani Mai Daji.
According to the then Commissioner of Police in Katsina, the bandits surrendered on their own volition.
Some of the arms and ammunition they surrendered, according to the police were: two General Purpose Machine guns, one AK 49 Assault rifle, 23 AK 47 Assault rifles, 109 GPMG ammunition, 94 7.62mm live ammunition of AK 47 rifle and 45 rustled cows.
Turwa courts Dankarami’s anger
After their decision to surrender was accepted by the police, most of the repentant bandits returned to normal life but Turwa decided to be a “good Samaritan.”
A source who is an executive member of the Katsina State branch of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association said that Turwa courted the anger of the active bandits when he took to protecting the people of Illela and other villages against bandits’ attacks.
“He kept frustrating efforts by other bandits’ to attack the village and other communities around Illela and before you knew it, he had become a king of a sort. The villagers knew he was the one protecting them and they alerted him of any impending attack. Sometimes, he would fight the other bandits while most of the times, he would talk to them and persuade them not to attack,” the Miyetti Allah official, who asked not to be named due to safety concerns, said.
His status as a ‘saviour’ annoyed the active bandits, including Dankarami.
Before the attack on Friday, both the police source and the Miyetti Allah official said Mr Turwa had been warned by Mr Dankarami to stop protecting the community.
“Mani Turwa knew of the impending attack,” the senior police officer said. “He was ready for them. But when they came, unfortunately, they met him in the village. He knew they would come but he was not sure of the date. Although he was ready, he was caught inside the village instead of outside the community.”
The Miyetti Allah official said none of Turwa’s boys and family members was hurt.
“When it was obvious that they were overpowered, the bandits turned on innocent residents,” he said.
Mariya Yusuf, a resident of the village, who ran to Katsina to seek refuge, said the bandits were “there to kill all of us.”
“It was horrendous. Most of us in the village have (had) left for Dutsin Ma, Kankara, Katsina. All the buildings in our area in Alhazawa have been burnt down by the bandits,” she said.
Mrs Yusuf said she did not know how many people were killed because she hid on a tree throughout the attack.
“I left around 6 a.m. and there was nobody in the town because we are all afraid that they may return to burn the other section of the village.”
Lawal Yusuf, another resident of the village, said he counted 12 bodies in the morning after the attack.
“They have not been buried as at this morning (Sunday) because people who returned after the attack to conduct the burial fled after they got information that the bandits were mobilising to return to the village,” he said.
Mr Isa, a Superintendent of Police, told PREMIUM TIMES that the residents of Illela were caught in an exchange of fire “between repented and active bandits”.
“I can confirm that the attack happened on the 27 of January. The command received information from the Divisional Police Office of Safana that Illela community was being attacked,” he said.
He, however, said though people were killed, the number was still unknown.
“You may hear different figures now but we need to verify things. More security personnel including soldiers have been deployed and they are currently on the bandits’ trail,” Isa said.