Some Katsina residents, protesting the killings of 14 of their kinsmen in Batsari Local Government Area of the state took the bodies of the victims to the Government House and the Palace of the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmuminu Kabir Usman.
The protesting relatives condemned the violent killings by bandits. The displayed the remains of the victims before Governor Aminu Bello Masari at the Government House and at the palace.
They demanded an immediate end to banditry and all forms of kidnapping in their domain.
Sympathising with the protesters, the Emir prayed for lasting peace in the state, especially in communities facing frequent attacks from the bandits.
Lamenting over the deaths and frequency of attacks by bandits, the governor said that his administration would try its best to end banditry.
He, however, cautioned youths against embarking on protests over what had happened, saying such would not change what had happened.
Masari said: “I urge you to exercise restraint and allow government carry out its responsibility of protecting the citizenry, I want to assure you that the police and other security agencies were working to tackle the problem.”
The other parts of the state had also sad tales of multiple attacks and kidnapping be bandits with a report that more than 34 people were killed in Batsari, Faskari and Danmusa local government areas.
At Yar Gamji village in Batsari, 18 people were reportedly killed; 11 were killed in Sabon Layin Galadima community and in Faskari; five persons in died after bandits raided Mara Zamfarawa and Danmusa council areas.
Most of those killed, it was learnt, were attacked on their farmlands by rampaging bandits. Sources claimed that more bodies were being recovered last night.
It was also learnt that some cows, belonging to the victims, were rustled by the bandits, even as some of the villages affected have been deserted for fear of more attacks.
At Sabon Layin Galadima village in Faskari Local Government Area, the bandits, who rode on motorcycles and armed with weapons, allegedly attacked from several directions.
They killed 11 persons and wounded several others and rustled some animals before disappearing into the Rugu forest.
At Mara Zamfarawa in Danmusa, five persons were killed with many others injured. Animals were also allegedly resulted.
