By Sanusi Muhammad, Burdugau.
Since the beginning of this year, Katsina state had its own bitter taste of bandits and other organized crime which practically stalled farming and other social development. The state is like Zamfara, Kebbi Kaduna and Sokoto state battling various insecurity threats which made the North West Geopolitical Zone of the federation the most insecure region.
In Katsina state the most affected areas witnessing unprecedented insecurity unleashed by dreaded bandits and kidnappers terrorists to the people residing in Malumfashi, Bakori, Faskari and Kankara local government areas of the state are at the receiving end.
The situation caused untold fear and psychological drift because the people of the affected LGAs are at the mercy of armed gangs that roam towns and villages at will, wrecking havoc.
This causes serious setbacks both socially and economically to the people of this local government areas.
People are gruesomely murdered by these armed bandits while the lucky victims are abducted for ransom to be paid by the relatives to the kidnappers.
We are not condemning the effort of the government and the security agencies but the situation appears like the organized security apparatus are not on top of the situation, because the criminal is displaying a certain degree of impunity.
They move from house to house, village to village, market to market, with AK-47 rifles openly, purchasing foodstuffs, other items and even collecting taxes from the innocent people.
To shorten the story, the perpetrators of this heinous crime against their neighbors and humanity at large are known in their respective villages and towns. Even though the business of maintaining law and order is not exclusively for the government but it’s collective responsibility.
But it should be conducted with respect to human lives because at times Yan Sakai committed a heinous violation of innocent human rights which resulted in loss of life and property.
About two months ago, the sleepy town of Burdugau in Malumfashi Local Government, came under attack by the Armed Bandits, 11 persons were kidnapped in which ten of them are married women and one male, four were released after paying ransom while the remaining seven are still in captivity.
During the incident, the bandits killed one person popularly known as Uban Sabga, made away with valuable items including animals belonging to the community and forced people to surrender their money or be killed.
This incident forced people of the said village to leave their homes for their safety, and the town has been haunted for almost two weeks.
In spite of the heinous crime against the people of Burdugau. The Town witnessed another extrajudicial killing committed by outlawed vigilante members (AKA ‘YAN SAKAI) allegedly hired by some people who were from villages surrounding the Burdugau town.
These Yan’sakai were said to be hired from Bakori local government area to perpetuate their heinous acts in which six innocent people have so far been gruesomely slaughtered by these dreaded vigilantes (Yan’sakai) in the town within one week.
All the deceased persons who were innocently murdered by this dreaded Yan’sakai are Malam Ahmad Danmune, Idris Madiska, his son, Salim Aliyu, and Mamman Maikare are people of good character as no one is questioning their moral conduct or character.
Adding salt on the wound, the Yan’sakai are taking the law into their hands by breaking and looting properties belonging to the community, burning shops, houses which the barbaric act forced the remaining residents to flee the town for their safety.
The stand is categorically collective by the people of Burdugau in Malumfashi Local Government area of Katsina State that they are Peace loving and committed citizens of the state that support the government efforts towards eradicating the problem as they are vulnerable to barbarian act committed against them by the dreaded bandits and kidnappers terrorists.
In spite of the psychological pain they are going through, they deem it necessary to inform government of Katsina and Mulumfashi local government council about the unholy activities of this outlawed vigilantes group that need to be checkmated, in addition with the need for proper investigation on how and why theu are taking law into their hands by unleashed extrajudicial killing, stealing and burning people properties like in animal kingdom where the mighty can and undo in addition, the crime committed against our people by Yan Sakai shall not go unnoticed.
Regardless of the crime against us but we remain law abiding citizens and reiterate our eveready support the effort of His Excellency the Executive Governor of Katsina State Dr. Dikko Umar Radda’s administration to restore peace in the state and we shall continue to remain resolute to ensure no one takes the law into his hand during this critical moment in the area.
There is need for urgent action to curtail extrajudicial killing with immunity exhibited by Yan’sakai particularly those from Bakori local government in the state.
Failure on the side of the government to do the needful will warrant unwanted development as the affected victims and other people will not fold their arms watching the Yan’sakai unleashing more unbearable hardship on them in the name of helping the government to fight against banditry and other forms of criminalities in the state.
As an agrarian area, ninety nine percent of our people of Burdugau in Malumfashi Local government have no other sources of livelihood than agribusiness.
Unfortunately, the people of the town have been displaced and rendered the town empty as a result of the activities of armed bandits and Yan’sakai.
I want to use this medium to appeal to the Katsina State government and Malumfashi Local Government to come to our rescue by ensuring everyone returns to his residence with a view to enabling our people to take over their farmlands to prepare for the upcoming rainy season farming.
