A policeman has reportedly been killed, and two civilians wounded, after bandits armed with dangerous weapons on Sunday launched coordinated attacks on two communities in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Those injured were said to have been taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
The hoodlums also destroyed property worth millions of naira in broad daylight.
Reliable sources told our correspondent that the hoodlums first stormed Sayaya town in Matazu LGA, where they set the community health care centre ablaze, looted and burnt several major shops in the town.
“The assailants also destroyed two vehicles in Sayaya”, sources confirmed.
In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, the assailants reportedly invaded the area, ambushed the police station—where a policeman lost his life—attacked the primary health care centre, and looted several shops in the town.
During a visit to the area, Governor Dikko Radda condoled with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and officers of the Command over the death of the policeman and extended his sympathies to the families affected by the violence.
In a related development, the bandits reportedly attacked Dankawari town in the area and burnt down another vehicle.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies and government officials had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
Residents, however, described the slain police officer identified as Suleiman Bishir as dedicated and well-respected in the community.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Katsina State leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Lawal Tukur Batagarawa, sympathised with the people of Dangani and Sayaya communities in Musawa and Matazu Districts, insisting that three policemen were killed during the attack.
He described the incident as a very sad reality for Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Plateau, and other affected states grappling with insecurity.
He, however, called on the Federal Government and the state governments to discharge their basic responsibility of securing lives and property, which they swore to discharge.
“The Federal Government shows absolute irresponsibility in the way it’s handling insecurity; this is very sad. We as a party have committed to changing this sad situation once elected to office as quickly as possible,” Batagarawa restated.
