Katsina State governor, Mr Aminu Bello Masari (left), inset file photograph of terrorists
Few days after terrorists attacked St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, reports have it that over 80 people were said to have been kidnapped by bandits who invaded Kwari village in Jibiya Local Government Area of Katsina and set their food barns and local shops on fire, according to locals who fled from the scene of the incident. Katsina State is the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The over 2,000 villagers who were now taking refuge at a primary school in Jibiya town, said among those that were abducted and taken away to the forest by the bandits, were children, women including pregnant ones and others. They alleged that the authorities have not come to their rescue with any assurance.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Thursday, one of the IDPs said they were forcefully chased out of the village by the rampaging gunmen. According to the woman, “they came with full force at 5.30 pm and invaded us, we were not aware of their coming. They opened fire, shot sporadically, and burnt down shops and our food barns.
“They kidnapped people, men and women, little children who cannot even talk. They took them to the forest. They took about 80 people to the forest. We did a head count later, we found that about 80 of our people were taken away by the bandits. They are these Bush Fulani people; they took even pregnant women away,” she alleged. She said they had to run away from Kwari village and moved to the Central Primary school in Jibiya town.
“We are here lying down in a humiliating manner. Not even mats to lie on. We are all lying on the bare ground. When the bandits left, we looked and found out that those taken away were up to 80. In some houses, they took 5, 10 and took them to the forest. Even our little children.”
When asked if they have received any assistance from the Local Government, State Government or from the security agencies, she said no.
“Truly, we are in need of help. We need assistance because we are in a pitiable condition. Please help us, Wallahi some husbands don’t know where their wives are. Some wives cannot find their husbands. Children cannot find their mothers, some mothers don’t know where their children are,” she said.
SP Gambo Isa, Spokesperson of the Katsina Police Command could not respond to inquiries by the BBC on the attack.
