No fewer than eight bandits and two villagers were killed when bandits attacked Zamfarawa village in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
According to residents, the bandits had stormed the village early Thursday morning during which they killed Shafi’i Suleiman, 65, and Yakubu Idris,70, both residents of the village.
The bandits reportedly rustled some cows too.
It was further learnt that the DPO for the Batsari division of the state police command led “Operation Puff Adder “and “Sharan Daji “teams to the village about 1a.m where they engaged the bandits in a gun duel.
One of the bandits was said to have died during the shootout while the bodies of the remaining seven were later picked up in a bush.
The Spokesman for the police command, SP Gambo Isah confirmed the incident on Saturday.
He said, “On 06/08/2020 at about 01:00hrs, DPO Batsari Division led “Operation Puff Adder” and “Sharan Daji” to Zamfarawa village Batsari LGA of Katsina state based on the report that bandits numbering over forty (40), armed with AK 47 rifles, shooting sporadically, attacked the village, killed one Shafi’i Suleiman, M, aged 65yrs, 2. Yakubu Idris, M, aged 70yrs and rustled an unspecified number of cows.
“The police team was ambushed by the bandits on their way into the village. Consequently, the team responded and instantly killed one of the hoodlums while others escaped into the forest with bullet wounds. The team succeeded and recovered thirty cows stolen from the village by the bandits.
“Subsequently, on 7/08/2020 search parties led by the DPO and members of the community led by the village head of Zamfarawa recovered additional seven more corpses of the bandits at Barankada village, Batsari LGA of Katsina state.
“The sum of twenty-two thousand and three hundred Naira, thirteen empty shells and two live ammunition of 7.62mm, a bunch of criminal charms, keys and pair of slippers were recovered from the dead bodies at the scene respectively during the search.”
SP Isah said Investigation had commenced on the incident.
By Olaide Oyelude, Katsina
