Protesting what they described as incessant banditry attacks on their community, aggrieved youths from Dan-Musa on Tuesday evening set ablaze the house of the Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, who hails from the area. They also burnt two offices of All Progressives Congress (APC).
Reports said the protest came on the heels of an armed banditry attack on the community on Tuesday during which a trader was killed.
A resident, who witnessed the incident, told reporters that “bandits ambushed and attacked our traders who were returning from the market on Tuesday evening.
“The youths mobilised and were able to repel the attack but the bandits killed a motorcyclist and retreated into the forest.
“The protesters took the body of the victim to the Sarki (district head) who fled his palace on sighting the mob.
“From there, they marched to the APC office in Dan-Musa and also burnt it, chanting various slogans to register their dissatisfaction over the level of insecurity at the local government area.”
Confirming the incident in a press statement, the police public relations officer in the state, Gambo Isah, said: “Some miscreants took to the streets for inexplicable reasons and started burning tyres.
“DPO Danmusa and team swiftly moved in, dispersed them and removed the blockades on the streets.
“Some of the youths organised and moved to the house of the Secretary to the Government of Katsina State, Alh. Mustapha Mohammad Inuwa, who is an indigene of the town and set his house on fire.
“The rioters also burnt down two APC offices and vandalized one. The police, army and other public-spirited individuals worked together and put off the fire.
“Consequently, 35 suspected persons were arrested while committing the act and various incriminating exhibits recovered.
“Investigation is ongoing and the command will leave no stone unturned until other perpetrators at large are fished out.”
Dan-Musa is one of the eight local government areas in the state that have remained under sustained attacks by bandits. The other local government areas equally sharing boundaries with the Rugu forest are Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Kankara, Faskari, Dandume and Sabuwa.
Meanwhile, Governor Aminu Bello Masari has made good his pledge to dialogue with the bandits as he began a tour of the banditry locations on Wednesday.
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