15 murdered in Katsina as Buhari, Tambuwal, meet over Sokoto killings

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Fifteen people were reportedly killed in Faskari and Sabuwa local government areas of Katsina State in a deadly attack by bandits on communities in the two councils on Thursday night.

The bandits were said to have attacked Unguwar Gizo, Maigora, Mai Ruwa and Sabon Layin Galadima in Faskari Local Government Area as well as Machika town in Sabuwa local government.

Eyewitnesses said the bandits stormed the communities about midnight on Thursday and carried out the attacks till early Friday morning.

It was learnt that people living in the communities attempted to repel the attacks leading to the fatalities.

Fifteen people were reportedly killed while unspecified numbers of cattle were also said to have been rustled. The spokesperson for the Katsina State police command, SP Gambo Isah, however put the figures of those killed at 13.

He said, “They came to rustle animals and the villages confronted them.”

Saturday Punch reports that a joint security operation is ongoing in the state to curb banditry and kidnapping.

Meanwhile, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Friday, met Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State over the insecurity in the state and the need for more military presence in the north-western state.

The meeting, which was at the instance of the governor, was held behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Speaking to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Tambuwal said he visited the President to update him on the security situation in Sokoto.

The governor stated that he also made a request to the President for more military intervention to check the activities of bandits in the state, adding that he had also solicited logistics and support for the internally displaced persons in the state.

He said, “I requested to see the President yesterday (Thursday) and he granted me audience today. I have seen him, briefed him on the security situation in Sokoto State, in particular. The security situation in Sokoto Eastern Senatorial District, especially the Sabon Birni Local Government Area, is of very special concern.

“Apart from the previous attacks through banditry attacks only two days ago, we lost about 74 people in a very heinous and dastardly act of aggression from the bandits.

“I have briefed Mr President on the general situation and the support that we require. When I said ‘we,’ in this case, I mean the security personnel that are there in Sokoto, working day and night in synergy with one another to ensure that they maintain peace and order in the state.”