By Ogalah Ibrahim
Armed bandits in Katsina State killed at least seven people during a night raid on Magajin Wando village, according to a press release from the state’s Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.
The attack, which occurred between 11 p.m. and midnight on Friday, was repelled by the local Community Watch Corps (CWC), a volunteer security group.
During the initial attack, the CWC managed to drive the bandits away. However, as the corps members were transporting the injured to a hospital, they were ambushed by the same group of criminals. The ministry’s statement confirmed that a firefight ensued, during which the CWC’s vehicle was “riddled with bullets” and later set ablaze. The corps members were able to escape the ambush.
Preliminary findings suggest the ambush was a revenge attack by the bandits, many of whom were reportedly killed during the CWC’s initial response.
The Katsina State Government commended the CWC for its “bravery and sacrifice,” stating that their intervention prevented “a far more devastating outcome.” The government has pledged to continue working with military and police forces to “track down and dismantle the criminal networks” responsible for the attacks.
The incident is the latest in a series of security challenges facing communities in northwestern Nigeria, where banditry, kidnapping, and cattle rustling are rampant.
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