By Ayo Kehinde
Barely five months after a peace agreement was reached, bandits have launched a deadly attack on Doma Community in the Tafoki area of Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing scores of residents and setting houses, shops and vehicles ablaze.
The attack, which occurred at about 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, threw the agrarian community into chaos as heavily armed assailants, wielding AK-47 rifles, stormed the area, shooting indiscriminately and leaving many residents dead and others homeless.
The chairman of Faskari Local Government Area, Sirajo Daudawa, described the incident as a suspected reprisal attack, lamenting the return of violence after months of relative calm.
“The situation is indeed very unfortunate. We have not recorded any bad moments over the past five months, except for this, that we found ourselves”, Daudawa said.
He disclosed that no fewer than 20 persons were killed during the invasion, while several houses and vehicles were destroyed by fire.
“We lost at least 20 people. Several houses and vehicles were burnt down by the hoodlums. Security agencies were duly informed, but unfortunately, none of them was able to report to the scene until after the bandits achieved their mission”, he added.
According to the council chairman, the bodies of the victims were retrieved in the Tafoki area and were scheduled for burial on Wednesday morning.
He also commiserated with the affected families and the people of the area. “We are sympathising with the Doma community and Tafoki ward, Faskari LGA, and Katsina State people in general over this tragedy. May Almighty Allah have mercy on those killed and bring this to an end”, Daudawa said.
Meanwhile, the Katsina State Commissioner of Police, Bello Shehu, has condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
The Commissioner, in a statement signed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Sadiq, said the Divisional Police Officer mobilised operatives to the scene in collaboration with the military and members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC).
The police, however, confirmed that 13 persons were fatally shot by the attackers, who fled before the arrival of security operatives.
Shehu directed the immediate deployment of additional resources to the area to aid investigations and ensure the arrest of the perpetrators.
The police said normalcy has since been restored to the affected community, assuring residents that further developments would be communicated in due course.
