Bandits Kill 11 Hunters in Katsina

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

Bandits have killed 11 hunters in four villages of Kankara Local Government Area (LGA) in Katsina State and injured many others.

The victims, according to a source who confirmed the attack to THISDAY in a telephone interview yesterday, were hunting in Dajin Giwa forest when the bandits ambushed them.

The source said: “The victims were from Kaurawa, Gidan-Goge, Tashar Tsamiya, and Zan-Bago villages. They went to Dajin Giwa forest for their normal hunting activities on Sunday night when the bandits launched an attack on them.

“They (bandits) killed 10 on the spot and injured many others. We brought their corpses and those injured to Kankara General Hospital this morning (Monday). Unfortunately, one of the injured persons died today bringing the number to 11.”

However, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Gambo Isah, a Superintendent of Police, while confirming the incident, said only eight of the local hunters were killed.

He said the hunters and some volunteers (Yansakai), who believed in the power of charms and supernatural powers, went into the forest to fight the bandits, but the battle turned bloody “because the bandits were armed with dangerous weapons.”

According to him, the deceased who are from Gidan Goge, Kaurawa and Tashar Tsamiya villages in Pauwa ward of the council attacked the bandits at Pauwa forest also known as Dajin Giwa.

He added: “These hunters and some Yansakai thought they had supernatural powers and medicine against AK47. They grouped themselves and form a formidable team with sophisticated weapons and went to Dajin Giwa forest to fight the bandits.

“Unfortunately, eight of them were killed, some were seriously injured. Among those killed are Abdulaziz Bawa, Muntari Kaura, Nura and Yahaya both of Tashar Tsamiya and Umar Bawa amongst others. The injured and corpses were rushed to Kankara General Hospital.”

He explained that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sanusi Buba, had dispatched a combined team of security personnel under Deputy Commissioner of Police Suleiman Ketere to comb the area with a view to apprehending the killers.

Gambo, however, said normalcy had since returned to the affected villages and appealed to residents to remain calm as security personnel would continue to hunt for the bandits.