In a harrowing incident, suspected bandits abducted more than 55 wedding guests escorting a bride home along Damari town in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State. The abduction, which occurred around 9 pm on Thursday, led to a tragic outcome as three local security volunteers lost their lives in a hastily coordinated rescue effort.
According to a resident who confirmed the incident to PUNCH Online, the assailants targeted those crowded in an open van, referred to as a canter vehicle. The victims, initially numbering over 70, were mainly friends of the bride. Several managed to escape by jumping off the moving canter van when the terrorists hijacked it.
Sabuwa, a region grappling with security challenges, has witnessed the persistent presence of bandits and their informants. The Chairman of Dandume Local Government Area, Alhaji Basiru Musa, confirmed the report, expressing the dire situation in the area heavily tormented by bandit activities.
While unconfirmed reports suggest that some kidnapped women escaped, Chairman Musa pledged to verify and provide updates on the situation. He clarified that the women, hailing from Dandume, were intercepted by bandits on their way from Sabuwa Local Government Area around 9 pm.
Simultaneously, another incident unfolded near the Gazari district border in Sabuwa LG, where gunmen from the Siddi forest reportedly infiltrated Tashar Nadaya. The criminals killed a commercial motorcycle rider, seized his bike, and unleashed violence on a group of four individuals, confiscating their motorcycles.
Efforts by PUNCH Online to obtain official confirmation from the police and other security agencies regarding these incidents have, as of now, been unsuccessful, adding to the urgency of addressing the escalating security concerns in Katsina State.