Kano Community Cries Out over Bandits’ Attacks, Begs for Military Presence

Residents of Faruruwa community in Shanono LGA of Kano State have appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Defence to set up a military formation in their area.

The Chairman of the community, Yahaya Umar Bagobiri stated this in an interview with Daily Sun, insisting that the community was still under threat of attacks by the bandits.

He remarked that the bandits had been sending text messages to the villagers to the effect that they would soon attack the area in revenge for the losses they suffered during a recent fight with the Joint Task Force.

“They are preparing everyday to return to our community. What they are telling us is that they are coming, that we should be ready and we told them that we are ready, that our soldiers are ready and they would meet them there when they come,” he said.

Bagobiri admitted that additional security personnel have been deployed to their community in recent times, but regretted that in view of the gravity of the threats, the number of soldiers on ground may not be enough to discourage the bandits from attacking them. He argued that only five days ago, the same bandits or their allies still found a way to the community and kidnapped nine victims, for which they were demanding for a ransom of N25 million.

“The solders on the ground are not enough, even the GOC Kaduna, was there a few days ago to see things for himself and he saw that we needed more soldiers to be stationed there” he stated.

On what might be attracting the bandits to the community, he explained that the area is a border town to Katsina State, in addition to the fact that there is the presence of a river in the area, which encourages the breeding of large numbers of cows around that axis.

He added that the bandits were initially attracted to the axis because of the cows that they steal, but added that in the recent years, they have resorted to abduction for money and killing of the members of the community and its environs.