No fewer that four people have lost their lives in double attacks by gunmen at Faskari and Dandume Local Government Areas of Katsina State on Sunday night .
The gunmen killed two people and injured scores of residents at Mahuta community in Dandume council.
In another attack at Faksari in the Tafoki community, a shootout between the gunmen and vigilante personnel led to the death of two bandits, with several others sustaining injuries on both sides.
The Tafoki incident, according to sources, occurred when bandits stormed the community with aim of abducting the father of the Deputy Speaker, state House of Assembly, Shehu Dalhatu Tafoki.
“The lawmaker’s father, Dalhatu Tafoki, is the head of the community, and the bandits stormed the area with the aim of abducting him,” a source said.
“But they were unable to do so as they were repelled by some residents and members of the vigilante group.
“Two of the bandits were killed, but they were able to escape with two of the lawmaker’s sisters, but one of them later escaped.”
The deputy speaker, who confirmed the incident, said his abducted sister was planning to wed in the coming weeks.
In a related development, gunmen have abducted four children of the administrative head of the Funtua council area, Alhaji Hamza Umar.
It is not clear if the kidnappers have called to demand ransom, even as security personnel and vigilantes were said to be making efforts at locating victims and their abductors.
The incident comes less than 24 hours after gunmen abducted the wife and children of a lawmaker representing Bakori council at the state assembly, Dr. Ibrahim Kurami.
Katsina State police command spokesperson SP Gambo Isah was yet to respond to an inquiry sent to him at the time of filing this report.
