At least five persons were seriously wounded and three others abducted after bandits in their numbers attacked Magamar Jibia border town in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The bandits were armed with sophisticated guns including AK 47 rifles.
A member of the Jibia Security Committee told Channels Television on Thursday in a telephone call that the bandits overpowered the security personnel who were deployed to repel them.
He said the hoodlums invaded the area on Wednesday night at about 11:45pm, shooting sporadically to scare the residents most of whom were preparing to go to bed for sleep.
He, therefore, called on Jibia vigilante group commanders to always mobilise themselves and patrol Kagadama, Magama, Kaga, Faru, Rijiyar Malamai, Mai Kwari, and Jibiyar Maje including Bayan Asibiti community.
He insisted that the general public must stand firm to confront the bandits.
“The bandits were in large numbers, they attacked the Magama Area and shot three persons and kidnapped three persons as well.
“People should stop sleeping especially those around the Jibia to put eyes on the movement of the criminal elements for security personnel to know where and when to start.
Earlier on Wednesday morning, according to the eyewitness, another bandits’ gang similarly attacked the Katsina-Jibia major Road where several bandits were reportedly neutralised as a result of an encounter with the army personnel.
Eventually, an AK 47 rifle belonging to the hoodlums including their motorcycle was recovered.
“Two soldiers were seriously injured in the operation”, the eyewitness said.
The Spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, confirmed the attack on Thursday to our reporter.
He revealed that the police had earlier deployed a team of officers to the scene where they repelled the attack and rescued the three abducted persons unhurt.
“Those rescued were immediately rushed to hospital for treatment and the command is working hard to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act,” ASP Sadiq noted.
