Daredevil terrorists have killed at least 41 persons and injured scores of others in a barrage of attacks on several communities in Safana Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.
The attacks were reported to have first occurred on Tuesday night and continued the next day and on Thursday night in more than 15 communities in the council area.
During the attacks, several homes were set ablaze, while the terrorists carted away valuables like phones, money, clothes and grains.
It was also gathered that several residents of affected communities were abducted and moved into the forest, even as scores of animals were rustled in the process.
Some of the communities that were attacked by the armed hoodlums include Kunamawar Mai Awaki, Kunamawar Yargadu, Unguwar Ido, Kanviri, Rimi, Tashar Maigoro, Saburu, Unguwar Bera, Dogon Ruwa, Tashar Kawai, Mai Zurfi, among others.
According to sources, some of the communities that were attacked on Tuesday and Wednesday were revisited and plundered by the terrorists on Thursday night, which may have led to an increase in the death toll.
He said due to the nature of the attacks, scores of residents from at least 13 affected communities have fled their homes for the headquarters of the council area or other safer environments.
He added that some residents who had tried to retrieve the corpses of the dead had to abandon their plan as some of them said they sighted terrorists hiding behind bushes near their communities.
Following the attacks, some youths in the council area were said to have staged peaceful protests, with a call on the government to rescue them from incessant attacks by terrorists.
According to another source, the youths lamented that their loved ones were being killed or abducted on a frequent basis and that they are not able to go to the farm due to fear of becoming victims.
Safana is among the seven frontline council areas of the state that is affected by security challenges.
Hundreds of people have lost their lives, been maimed, or kidnapped, with hundreds of thousands of animals rustled by terrorists since the security situation began over a decade ago.
Spokesperson for the police command in the state, ASP Abubakar Aliyu, was yet to respond to inquiries on the issue at the time of the report.
