Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari hosted a closed-door meeting with top military chiefs from Abuja and Sokoto over the raging banditry attacks in rural communities of the state.
According to the governor, the unrepentant bandits are distracting the government from the COVID-19 battle with their attacks.
Military Chiefs present at the meeting were the Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Major General Leo Irabor; the Chief of Defence Civil Military Cooperation, Real Admiral OH Ngalabak and General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division, Brigadier General Aminu Bande.
During the meeting, Masari expressed his displeasure with the failure of security architecture to put an end to the bloody attacks.
Governor Masari said, “I am very sad and I have started running out of words.
“Life has become nightmarish for communities around the dreaded Rugu forest in the state as bloody attacks by bandits had become routine.
“Our people living in the villages bordering the forest are going through very difficult times. For most of them, it is not about coronavirus. It is about the bandits virus.
“Yesterday, the DPO at Faskari was nearly killed but he is now at the Orthopaedic Hospital suffering from two gunshot wounds and we hope he will survive it.”
In addition, Masari listed other affected Local Government and the communities to include a village in Sabuwa local government area where five people were killed and all their animals rustled.
The governor also revealed that bandits kidnapped the head of Danmusa Local Government Area from his house and over 50 people were killed in banditry attacks in the state.
