My Encounter With Bandits Who Attacked Buhari’s Convoy — Katsina Resident

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My Encounter With Bandits Who Attacked Buhari’s Convoy — Katsina Resident

Recently, Nigerians were left thoroughly startled when news emerged on Tuesday that an attack was carried out by bandits around Dutsin-ma community on the advance team of President Muhammadu Buhari’s convoy.

The convoy included security guards as well as protocol and media officers ahead of the President’s Sallah trip to Daura, Katsina State.

A statement from the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said the hoodlums ambushed and opened fire on the approaching convoy at Kun Kana, a village in Safana Local Government Area, but were repelled by the military and DSS men escorting the convoy.

The statement said the President was not in the convoy and that two people were injured during the attack.

A resident of Kun Kana community, Jamilu Aliyu Charanci, who witnessed the incident, told our correspondent that he and a few other people were going to Dutsin-ma from nearby Kankara village when they saw the bandits crossing the road on motorcycles in droves and causing everyone to scamper into safety.

Charanci said that while some of them ran to nearby Turare village, others hid in the bush. Shortly after, he said, the advanced convoy of the President passed and ran into the bandits, who immediately opened fire.

Charanci said: “We were all terrified as we had the sound of gunshots. I was practically freezing where I hid myself because we feared that a lot of lives must have been lost.

“It turned out, however, that no life was lost in that particular incident. I was also able to make my journey to Dutsin-ma because a military convoy cleared the way.”

But it was not all uhuru as on the same day, Aminu Umar, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force, was killed together with one other police officer by bandits in Zakka Forest, also close to Dutsin-ma.

Spokesperson of the Katsina State Police Command, Gambo Isah, who confirmed the killing in a statement issued late Tuesday night, said the terrorists numbering about 300 ambushed ACP Umar and his team.

He said: “At about 11.30hrs, a distress call was received that terrorists numbering over 300, on motorcycles, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles and General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), ambushed ACP Aminu Umar, Area Commander, Dutsin-ma, and his team, while on clearance operation of recalcitrant bandits/terrorists, in Zakka forest, Safana LGA of Katsina State.

“Consequently, the Area Commander and one other gallantly lost their lives during an exchange of gunfire.”

He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Idrisu Dabban Dauda, on behalf of the officers and men of the Command, expressed deep sympathy for the families of the deceased and prayed God for the repose of their souls.

He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to the ongoing onslaught against terrorism in the state until it is completely routed out.