No fewer than thirty children were abducted by bandits in the early hours Monday at Kasai Village in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State. Batsari is renowned as a hotspot for banditry and criminal activities with alarming rise in such incidents posing a significant security challenge.
According to a local resident who spoke to Channels Television, the children, who ventured near the village outskirts to collect firewood for their families, fell into the hands of the abductors.
“Yes, the attack occurred yesterday Monday, (April 1, 2024) in the morning hours. It all began when the children numbering up to thirty went behind the Kasai Village to secure firewood which, their parents will use to cook food for them. Unfortunately, some suspected bandits intercepted them and took them to an unknown destination,” the resident detailed.
The motives behind the kidnapping remain unclear, and the attackers have yet to contact their families to make any demand. This incident underscores the escalating security dilemma in Katsina’s frontline areas, where banditry and criminality have been on the increase.
At the time of reporting, neither the local government officials nor security agencies have issued a statement regarding the abduction. Efforts to reach ASP Abubakar Sadiq, the Police Public Relations Officer in Katsina State, for comments remained unanswered.
The community, now grappling with the shock of this latest attack, hopes for a swift and successful resolution. “We do hope and pray that peace and security will be restored in our state,” the anonymous source added.
