0
0
A deadly night raid by armed bandits has left at least 19 people dead in Gobirawa, a community in Kuki Ward of Dutsinma Local Government Area, Katsina State.
The assailants, believed to have emerged from the nearby Danmusa forest, stormed the village around 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, unleashing terror as they opened fire indiscriminately. Several people were killed on the spot, while many others remain missing in the aftermath of the attack.
Residents are calling for urgent intervention and increased security presence, warning that the violence is encroaching dangerously close to the Dutsinma local government headquarters.
Efforts to get a response from the Katsina State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to the command’s spokesman, Abubakar Sadiq, went unanswered. However, a community member, Sani Abdullahi Kuki, confirmed the incident in a phone interview with Channels Television on Monday.
According to Kuki, a number of villagers including women, children, and the elderly were abducted during the attack. In addition to the kidnappings, over 20 homes and several shops were set ablaze by the attackers, leaving dozens displaced and in shock.
He also recalled a similar attack on the same community last year, where seven lives were lost.
“This is completely out of control,” Kuki said, visibly distressed. “Five of the victims were burnt alive. I couldn’t stay till the end of the burial process because of the trauma. When I left the cemetery, they were still digging graves for the burned victims.”
Some residents had sought refuge in grain silos during the onslaught but were tragically set ablaze. Bodies burned beyond recognition were only recovered the following morning for burial.
Survivors with severe injuries were rushed to Dutsinma General Hospital, with some requiring urgent transfers to Katsina General Hospital for further treatment.
As the community mourns, locals are pleading with authorities to act swiftly to prevent future tragedies.
