Before 2015, residents of Katsina state especially in rural areas had to grapple with the menace of cattle rustling, banditry and other organised criminal activities. It got to the extent of denying people access to their farmlands and rearing of cattle became almost impossible. Towns and villages that had hitherto existed were on the verge of being wiped away.
The attack left no fewer than 143 persons killed while hundreds of others sustained various degrees of injuries with property destroyed. It left 40 people killed at Mararrabar Maigora, 27 killed in Maigora, 27 killed in Sabon Layin Galadima and seven in Unguwar Doka. The sad fact about the attack was that in some instances, an entire family was wiped out.
As reported by Daily Trust, the governor appealed to neighbouring states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara and Kaduna to join hands with her in the meantime.
The state government indicated interest to assist all security agencies in the state with all the necessary assistance to end banditry and other criminal activities across the state. Already, Governor Masari has provided over 20 vehicles to various security agencies, accommodation, special allowances and other necessary assistance to the police to carry out their operations in areas affected by banditry.
Again, even the Inspector General of Police has told Katsina residents recently that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the police and other security agencies to rid the state of kidnappers and armed banditry.
He said it was as a result of the recent developments that President Buhari directed the police and other security agencies to launch a coordinated operation to clear the troubled states in the north-west region of kidnappers and armed bandits.
While on a working visit at the Government House in Katsina, the IGP appealed to the state government to sensitise its people on the need to cooperate with the police, particularly by providing useful information to the force.