By Enyichukwu Enemanna
No fewer than 80 persons have been kidnapped by suspected bandits from Kwari village in Jibiya Local Government Area of Katsina State.
This is even as the fleeing locals from the community accuse Government of failure to come to their aid with any assurance as they live in danger and at the mercy of the men of under world.
The bandits had invaded the community, taking along with them to the forest over 80 persons largely women, children and pregnant ones.
They were also said to have set food barns and local shops on fire.
The displaced and distraught locals numbering over 2000 are currently taking refuge at a public school in Jibiya town.
They were forcefully chased out of the village by the rampaging gunmen, one of the IDPs told BBC Hausa Service on Thursday.
“They came with full force at 5.30pm (Wednesday) and invaded us, we were not aware of their coming. They opened fire, shot sporadically and burnt down shops and our food barns.
”They kidnapped people, men and women, little children who cannot even talk.They took them to the forest. They took about 80 people to the forest. We did a head count later, we found that about 80 of our people were taken away by the bandits. They are these Bush Fulanii people; they took even pregnant women away,” she alleged .
When asked if they have received any assistance from the Local Government, State Government or from the security agencies, she replied in negative.
”We are here lying down in a humiliating manner. Not even mats to lie on. We are all lying on the bare ground.
“When the bandits left, we looked and found out that those taken away were up to 80. In some houses they took 5, 10 and took them to the forest. Even our little children” she added.
She therefore appealed for assistance to ameliorate the suffering they are passing through following the invasion and displacement.
”Truly, we are in need of help. We need assistance because we are in a pitiable condition .Please help us, Wallahi some husbands don’t know where their wives are. Some wives cannot find their husbands. Children cannot find their mothers, some mothers don’t know where their children are,” she said.
The State Police Command could not respond to inquiries by the BBC on the attack.
