The savagery in Katsina State continued on Tuesday night when gunmen attacked Unguwar Ali village, 10km from Faskari town, killed one person and rustled more than 150 cows, residents said.
Sources told HumAngle that the criminals, numbering more than 200 and riding on motorcycles, arrived at the village about 11p.m. and conducted a house to house search for cattle and other livestock.
The attack occurred one week after youth in Katsina State protested against incessant attacks on their communities, which have destroyed livelihoods, created a humanitarian crisis and threatens national food security.
Unguwar Ali in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State is on the highway from Funtua to Sokoto State.
Usman, a resident of the community, said “ the group, as usual, stormed our village, about 200 hundred in number, riding on motorcycles and chanting different names.
“They divided themselves into groups; some blocked the highway and others spread themselves around our community.
“They began with searching for livestock, they rustled six of my cows and two rams that I used for farming. I have no money or any other means to buy another one, this will drastically affect my farming.’
Another resident, Musa, said the bandits shot one person who hid inside a car, “broke into our houses and shops and carted away food and other items’.
He said that so far the people had established that the criminals stole more than 150 cattle and that five belonged to him.
Isah, a resident of Funtua and a farmer in Unguwar Ali , said “this is happening because some people are benefiting from the attacks.’
Isah said the people were not asking the government for anything but security for their lives.
“Their animals are taken away on a daily basis, people are deserting their farmlands. I spent over N100,000 but I abandoned the farm because of the fear of bandits’ attack,” he said.
He added, “I know an elderly man that is currently in hospital suffering from prostate cancer. He has only two cows that are fetching money for his daily upkeep yet these criminals took them away.’
Isah said the government was not acting responsibly, stressing that the villagers were becoming beggars in urban areas while the government continued to promise a better future for them.
“For how long will people wait for this insecurity situation to end?’ he asked.
Meanwhile, the police in Katsina State have yet to comment on the attack.
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