By Sanusi Muhammad, Burdugau.
SINCE the beginning of this year, Katsina state had its own bitter taste of the bandits and other organized crimes which practically stalled farming and other societal development.
The state is like Zamfara, Kebbi Kaduna and Sokoto state battling various insecurity threats which made NorthWest Geopolitical Zone of the federation to be the most insecure region.
In Katsina state the most affected areas witnessing unprecedented insecurity challenges unleashed by dreaded bandits and kidnappers are, Malumfashi, Bakori, Faskari and Kankara local government areas.
The situation caused untold fear and psychological drift because the people of the affected local governments area at the mercy of armed bandits that roam around towns and villages at will, wrecking havoc.
The People of these areas are gruesomely murdered by these armed bandits while others are taken to the bandits camps where ransom are paid by the relatives to kidnappers.
We are not condemning the effort of government and the security agencies but the situation appears like the organized security apparatus are not on top of the situation, because the criminal are 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 tax from the people.
To cut short 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 a collective responsibility.
But it should be conducted with respect to human lives because at time Yan Sakai commit heinous violation of innocent human rights which resulted to lose of lives and properties.
About two months ago, Burdugau Town in Malumfashi Local Government, came under attack by the Armed Bandits where 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 forcing people from the said village to leave their homes for their safety, and the town now turned into a ghost town for almost two weeks.
In spite of the heinous crimes against the people of Burdugau, the town witnessed yet another extrajudicial killing committed by outlawed vigilante members allegedly hired by some people who are from surrounding villages.
These Yan’sakai were said to have been hired from Bakori local government area to parptrate their heinous acts in which six innocent people have been gruesomely slaughtered by these dreaded Yan’sakai in our town within one week.
The persons innocently murdered by this dreaded Yan’sakai are Malam Ahmad Danmune, Idris Madiska his son , Salim Aliyu, and Mamman Maikare. They are people of good character as no one has ever questioned their moral conduct.
To add a salt to the injury, this Yan’sakai taking the law into their hand by breaking and looting properties belonging to the community, burning shops, houses and this barbarian act forced the remaining residents to flee the town for their safety.
Our stand is categorically collective. We the people of Burdugau town in Malumfashi Local Government of Katsina State are Peace loving and committed citizens of the state that support the government’s efforts towards eradicating the problem as we are venerable to barbaric act committed against us by dreaded bandits, kidnappers and terrorists.
In spite of the psychological pain we are going through, we deem it necessary to inform the government of Katsina state and Mulumfashi local government council of the unholy activities of this outlawed vigilante group so that the issue should be looked into.
In addition, there is the need for proper investigation on how and why they are taking laws into their hand by unleashing extrajudicial killing, stealing and burning of people properties as if we are in animal kingdom where the mighty can do and undo.
In addition, the crimes committed against our people by Yan Sakai shall not go unnoticed.
Regardless of the crime against us, we remain law abiding citizens and reiterate our unflinching support to 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 killings 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 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 G’ Malumfashi Local Government have no any other sources of livelyhood than agribusiness or farming and also have been displaced and rendered homeless. The town is currently empty as a result of the activities of armed bandits and Yan’sakai.
I want to use this medium to appeal to Katsina State government and Malumfashi Local Government to come to our rescue by ensuring everyone returns to his resident with a view to enable our people prepare for the upcoming rainy season farming and go back to their farms.
