By Isiaka Mustapha
Not less than 22 persons were murdered in Taraba, Katsina and Kaduna yesterday by blood thirsty gunmen suspected to be herdsmen and bandits.
In the two villages of Kibori and Atagjah, in Atyap chiefdom in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, eight natives were killed by suspected herdsmen; just as suspected bandits invaded two villages in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina and slaughtered 12 people, before sending the villagers who sustained different degrees of injuries out of their homesteads.
Also, yesterday, bandits stormed Binnari and Jab Jab communities in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, where they killed two persons.
A source in Binnari and Jab Jab communities in Karim Lamido LGA, who craved anonymity, said the first attack was in Binnari village, where one person was killed and several houses razed by the bandits.
The Batsari attack took place Tuesday night when the Muslims in the community were about to say their night prayers.
The eyewitness said: “Two communities were invaded. The gunmen were said to have fired sporadically into the air to register their presence before going from house to house, looting valuables and harassing residents.”
Kastina Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo, confirmed that the bandits in their numbers invaded the villages, shooting sporadically with AK-47 rifles, attacked Katoge and Yanturaku quarters of Batsari LGA, killed 11 people and injured 13 persons.