BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – In what community and security sources have described as a surprise but successful counter-offensive, suspected bandits, who invaded Dansarai, a quiet farming village in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, are currently counting their losses for daring to disrupt the peace and serenity of the area.
The sources indicated that the attackers, quite intimidating in their appearance, had on Tuesday violently stormed the settlement in a motorcycles’ convoy, heavily armed with sophisticated weapons, including AK-47 assault rifles to unleash mayhem and terror, shooting indiscriminately as they moved through the village.
Unfortunately, that early moments of chaotic ambush claimed four lives, but things suddenly took a dramatic turn as the villagers quickly overcame the the initial shock and gave the intruders a fierce battle in self-defence.
According to some of the eyewitness accounts, the people, who were already fed up with the recurring threat to their lives and property, immediately regrouped and working in tandem with local vigilantes, refused to remain passive victims as they mobilized and bravely confronted the gunmen in a dramatic display of bravery which the criminal elements did not anticipate.
Caught off guard by the community’s fierce resistance, which they did not bargain for, the tide clearly turned and the community members succeeded in neutralizing four of the bandits, a development that forced their remaining colleagues to beat a retreat into the surrounding bushes, ultimately abandoning their initial plans to rustle livestock and loot the village as usual.
In the process, the violent confrontation left eight community members nursing varying degrees of gunshot wounds defending the village, even as the armed invaders were seen scattering in different direction in search of escape routes
One of the resident, who expressed happiness that for once they were able to stand up against the bandits, told some reporters that: “Our people stood up to defend themselves. In the confrontation, four of the bandits were neutralised, and the rest were forced to flee. They also abandoned their plan to rustle livestock and loot shops and homes.”
Another community source said community members injured in the confrontation were quickly rushed to nearby health facilities to urgent medical attention, adding, “Some of the victims sustained gunshot wounds, while others were injured in the chaos, but they are all responding to treatment.”
Information available from some residents alleged that repeated distress calls were made to security agencies during the attack, but no personnel arrived before the bandits escaped with a community leader lamented that: “We kept calling for help, but nobody came. We were left to face the situation on our own.”
Against the backdrop of this unfortunate incident, residents of Dansarai and neighbouring communities have appealed to both the state and federal governments to deploy more security operatives to the eastern axis of Malumfashi, describing the area as increasingly vulnerable to criminal attacks.
“This area has become a soft target for bandits. We need a permanent security presence to protect our lives and livelihoods,” another resident volunteered, noting that the eastern part of Malumfashi Local Government Area remains among areas hardest hit by banditry in the Funtua zone, comprising 11 local government areas in Katsina State.
Contacted to comment on the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Sadiq Aliyu, offered to verify the incident and officially respond as appropriate. However, the official response from the Police Command was being awaited as of the time of this report. – With additional reports from Daily Trust
