At least 24 people have been killed by bandits in Doma village of Faskari area of Katsina State on Tuesday.
The bandits also set several shops and houses on fire during the attack.
Local sources told 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that those killed by the bandits were all men.
The bandits rode into the community on motorcycles around 12:00pm and began shooting sporadically.
“It was a coordinated attack because it seemed they (bandits) circled the whole community. All exits and entries were blocked which made it difficult for people to run out of the community,” an anonymous resident of Tafoki who was at Doma during the attack told this newspaper.
He said the attack lasted from 12:00pm to 2:00pm.
This newspaper gathered that among those killed were the chief Imam of the village, Mallam Nasiru Doma, Alhaji Kasimu Kawu, a community leader in charge of local security committee, Malam Sule Abba, Malam Inuwa, a patent shop attendant, Dan Bello and others.
Local authorities have confirmed the attack but said those killed were 20.
Speaking to DW Hausa in Katsina, the Faskari local council chairman Sirajo Aliyu Daudawa said the attack has shattered more than five months of peace in the area.
“It’s disheartening because this is coming after about five weeks of peace in the area. For five months, we’ve not had an attack of such nature.
“It’s a revenge attack by the bandits. Today, about 20 people were killed, a car and houses were also burnt down by the bandits. We’ve informed security agents and the bodies have been evacuated to Tafoki for burial tomorrow (Wednesday),” he said.
