Suspected terrorists disguised in women’s Abayas, dress, have kidnapped 26 individuals in Katsina State. The attack occurred over the weekend in the Runka community, targeting mainly women and children.
A local resident recounted that the terrorists invaded the community around 10:30 p.m., firing shots indiscriminately.
“In my house alone they abducted 10 females and two males,” he said. “In total, they abducted 26 people from the community.”
He blamed the attack on informants collaborating with the terrorists to undermine government efforts against them.
“The informants include even those in our community. One of the terrorists was even heard exchanging pleasantries with an informant, telling him ‘today we’ve come to your hometown’. We’re yet to identify him,” he alleged.
Confirming the incident, Chairman of Safana Local Government Area, Abdullahi Sani Safana, told journalists that 22 locals were taken, though some managed to escape.
He noted that the terrorists’ use of Abayas, a traditional women’s dress, took them by surprise.
He added that the DPO had deployed operatives, who, along with soldiers in the area, had launched a rescue mission.
Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Abduljalal Haruna Runka, expressed concern over the lack of prior intelligence on the terrorists’ movements.
“They just appeared in the middle of the night,” he said. “We are going back to the drawing board to analyse the situation. To know why we couldn’t get the information.”
