A policeman and 34 other people have been killed in separate attacks by bandits on vigilantes, residents and clashes between locals and herders in Kaduna and Katsina states respectively.
In Kaduna State, the death toll from last Saturday’s attack and reprisal has risen from 10 to about 17. The victims included a police officer in communities of Zangon-Kataf in the southern part of Kaduna State.
Also, in Katsina State, 18 villagers were killed and 15 others injured in a clash between bandits and vigilantes in Kankara communities.
LEADERSHIP had earlier reported that about 10 corpses were discovered following the said attack.
Trouble started in the area Thursday last week when a young herder was allegedly tied to a tree and macheted to death by some locals around Ungwan Juju.
It was further gathered that the situation became compounded Saturday when a misunderstanding arose between security operatives and some Fulani at a checkpoint in Ungwan Wakili which led to a Fulani man and a policeman being shot at the checkpoint.
Also, later that evening, a group of local youths who went fishing were attacked and one of them was said to had been macheted to death by the retaliating herders.
A senior military source from the area told LEADERSHIP on condition of anonymity that, “On Thursday last week, one Umar Sambo (a herder) was killed while he was returning from grazing his cattle around Ungwan Juju in Zangon Kataf LGA.
“The killers tied the young herder up, macheted him to death and hid the corpse in an unknown location. When his brother, identified as Safiyanu, could not find him, he reported to the security agencies, who then launched a search operation. His body was finally discovered at Ungwan juju,” the source said.
He said, the security situation which they were making efforts to manage, became compounded Saturday evening, when there was a clash between security operatives and some Fulani at a checkpoint in Ungwan Wakili, which led to the death of a Fulani man and a policeman.
According to him, “Ungwan Wakili village of Atyap Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf LGA was attacked by unidentified persons around 8:40 pm on Saturday, in an apparent reprisal following the killing of the herder earlier mentioned.
“Another suspected immediate cause of the Saturday night attack was the accidental shooting of a herder by a policeman at Ungwan Wakili Junction, the burning of herders’ motorcycles and the mob action which followed,” he said.
He however said that troops of “Operation Safe Haven” mobilised to the village to repel the attack, but about 16 to 17 persons were already killed, with seven persons wounded. The wounded were taken to Zonkwa General Hospital for treatment.
“Also worthy of note is that, after a policeman accidentally shot and injured a herder and a colleague at the checkpoint at Ungwan Wakili Junction, a mob action occurred in Ungwan Wakili.
“While the police evacuated the area, a crowd of locals and herders gathered at the scene, and in the confrontation that followed, one local was killed. Two motorcycles belonging to herders were burnt, while the attack on Ungwan Wakili village occurred a few hours later,” the security source explained.
Meanwhile, the local government authorities have imposed 24hours curfew in the affected communities to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
A credible source in Kankara communities of Katsina State said apart from the 18 victims, several residents sustained various degrees of injuries during a clash between vigilantes and terrorists in the area.
The source said some hoodlums were attending a wedding party (Walima) of one of their kingpins, commonly identified as ‘Mai Katifa Mutuwa’ when a section of them clashed with vigilantes and the situation later deteriorated.
He said, “We learnt that some vigilante members clashed with some of the bandits who came to Majifa village to attend a wedding ceremony of one of their leaders, named ‘Katifa Mutuwa.’
“The clash eventually led to the invasion of nearby villages in the area by the hoodlums who started shooting sporadically.”
The source further said, five persons were found dead in Gurbi, and another 13 dead bodies were also discovered between Majifa, Makera and Gidan Jifau settlements.
He noted that the terrorists invaded over 10 settlements in the area namely: Gurbi, Danmarke, Majifa, Gidan Baso, Gidan Sarka, Gidan Jiho, Gidan Ancho, Gidan Sanmango mango, Gidan Sale, among others.
“As of yesterday night, about 18 villagers were killed in the attack, while 15 others were injured in the clash, and were conveyed to the Kankara General Hospital for medication. One among them died on the way to the Kankara Hospital,” the source said.
The police spokesperson in the state, SP Gambo Isah, has confirmed the clash and said details of the incident is still vague, affirming that the police and other sister security agents have toured the scene and promised to respond as soon as he gets details information.
Governor Aminu Bello Masari had last week received the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the last killings in Bakori local government area of the state, where recommendations and suggestions are stated to curtail similar clashes between the vigilantes and bandits in the area.
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