Katsina Xmas horror: 8-traders slaughtered in ambush, two abducted

In a heart-wrenching act of brutality, terrorists struck terror into the heart of Katsina State, unleashing a deadly ambush on eight local traders returning from the Jibia weekly market. The assailants, armed with violence, opened fire on the unsuspecting victims around Kukar Babangida village, leaving a trail of death and despair.

The traders, who were simply seeking to return home after a day at the market, found themselves caught in a hail of bullets. The attackers callously shot the driver dead, forcing the vehicle off the road. In the aftermath, eight traders lay lifeless, their names now etched into the tragic tale of terror: Sani Na Gogara, Yusuf Karamin su, Sale Lami, Dan Hameme, Malam Shafi’i, Malam Dikke, and Bashir Sani.

Two others faced a nightmarish fate as they were callously abducted by the assailants. Meanwhile, the wounded—Bilyaminu, Malam Jafaru, Lawal Dadi, and Dan Husuma—are left grappling with the physical and emotional scars inflicted upon them.

Jibia, a local government in Katsina State, finds itself ensnared in the grip of terrorism, with communities like Yan Gayya, Kukar Babangida, and Bugaje repeatedly targeted by these faceless foes. The attackers, having left a wake of destruction, vanished into the shadows, taking nothing but lives and leaving behind a shattered community.

A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested that the terrorists may be fleeing a military offensive in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The relentless efforts of the military in combating terrorism have forced these perpetrators to seek refuge in neighboring regions, further escalating the crisis.

The police spokesperson in Katsina State, Abubakar Sadik, confirmed the horrifying attack, expressing condolences and assuring that measures have been deployed to prevent a reoccurrence. The North-west subregion, particularly Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, and a part of Niger State, remains a hotbed of terrorist activities, with communities living in constant fear of attacks, abductions, and ransom demands.