Police in Katsina State have confirmed the slaughtering of the Bakori Local Government Area Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association by the outlawed Yan’sakai group popularly called the volunteers while leading a congregational prayer in a mosque.
The spokesman of the Command, Superintendent Gambo Isah, who confirmed the incident, said as a result, the bandits went on reprisal attacks in the area, where many houses and an unspecified number of persons were killed.
According to Isah, “the recent activities of the outlawed Yansakai in some local government areas in the state have led to the killings of innocent Fulanis residing within the communities, including the killing of the Chairman, Miyetti Allah, Bakori, who was singled out inside a mosque, while conducting a congregational prayer and slaughtered, which made the bandits resort to reprisal attacks”.
He further revealed that attacks on Daudawa and Yasore by bandits are clear examples of such reprisals.
Isah also said that if the leadership of such communities continue to keep silent or support the activities of Yansakai, there will not be peace in the state.
He hinted that everyone must come out collectively and condemn in totality the gruesome murder of innocent citizens by Yansakai.
The Command’s spokesman further said the Yan’sakai kill innocent Fulanis, robbed them of their belongings including farm products, as a result of the bumper harvest they have made.
He also said many of them are being killed because, at one time, they had conflicts with some other members of the community relating to land disputes but now, the locals have the opportunity of settling their scores through the guise or the instrumentality of Yansakai.
While restating that the activities of the Yan’sakai group remain banned, Isah said it is unfortunate that this criminal activity is not limited to the bandits but also the Yansakai.