Africa-Press – Nigeria. A farmer from Katsina State, Sanusi Muhammad Burdugau has appealed to the State Government and Malumfashi Local Government Council of the State to return the displaced villagers of Burdugau back to their community to enable them participate in rainy season farming.
Burdugau noted that about three months ago, a man and eleven married women were kidnapped from the community, four were later released after ransom payment while the rest are still in the bandits’ camp.
This was contained in a statement by Sanusi Muhammad Burdugau and made available to newsmen in Gusau, Zamfara State capital.
According to the statement, Malumfashi Local Government Area is one of the most affected areas in the state and has been witnessing serious security challenges.
“Katsina State is like Kebbi, Kaduna, Sokoto and Zamfara States that are currently battling various security challenges which have made the Northwest region insecure”, he added.
“In Katsina State, the most affected area witnessing unprecedented banditry by dreaded bandits and kidnappers are Malumfashi, Bakori, Faskari and Kankara local government areas of the state”
The situation has caused untold hardships and psychological threats because the people of the affected local government areas are at the mercy of armed gangs that roam towns and villages at will, wreaking havoc”
Burdugau noted that this has caused serious setbacks both socially and economically to the people of the local government area.
“People are gruesomely murdered by these armed bandits while the lucky victims are taken away and ransom is being demanded by the abductors”
“We are not condemning the efforts of government and the security agencies, but the situation appears like the organized security apparatus are not on top of the situation, because the criminal is displaying a certain degree of impunity”
“They move from house to house, village to village, market to market, with AK-47 rifles openly, purchasing foodstuffs, other items and even collecting tax from the people”
According to him, Yansakai members sometimes commit heinous violations of human rights which result in the loss of life and property.
“About two months ago, the sleepy community of Burdugau, a village in Malumfashi Local Government, came under attack by the armed bandits, 11 persons were kidnapped, ten of them were married women and one male, four were released after paying ransom while the remaining seven are still in captivity”
“During the incident, the bandits killed one person popularly known as Uban Sabga, made away with valuable items including animals belonging to the community and forced people to surrender their money or be killed”
“This incident forced people of the said village to leave their homes for their safety, and the town has become a ghost village for almost two months now”
“These Yan’sakai were said to be hired from Bakori local government area for the heinous acts in which six innocent people were gruesomely slaughtered by these dreaded vigilant members, (Yan’sakai) in our town within one week”
Burdugau noted that the Yan’sakai members are taking laws into their hands by breaking and looting properties belonging to the community, burning shops, houses and other barbaric acts, forcing the remaining residents to flee the town for their safety”
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