5th February, 2023
President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the attack on vigilantes at Yargoje forest in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, where many lives were lost.
The insurgents ambushed a convoy of vigilantes in the forest as they went to recover stolen cows leading to the killings of 41 of them.
The President, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu on Sunday, pays tribute to all those vigilantes and family members who had been martyred.
He said that the sacrifices of the brave men who were working to prevent and punish crime in their communities would not be forgotten.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families in this difficult period. May Allah repose the soul of the deceased,” said the President.
Last Wednesday, the vigilantes had chased after terrorists after they rustle cows, but met their waterloo.
The slain vigilante operatives were from 11 villages in Kankara local government of the state, Katsina Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah said in a statement on Friday.
According to the police spokesperson, the vigilante operatives had gathered themselves from the 11 local government to go and recover 50 cows and 30 sheep stolen from the residence of one Alhaji Muntari at Unguwar Audu Gare, Kandarawa, Bakori Local Government by the terrorists last Wednesday.
But he said though the vilgilante operatives were able to trace the path of the terrorists in the forest, they were ambushed by the criminals who shot 41 of them dead and injured two others.
The Police spokesperson said, “On Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023 at about 22:00 hours, terrorists in their numbers, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles, attacked the house of one Alhaji Muntari at Unguwar Audu Gare, Kandarawa, Bakori Local Government, and rustled 50 cows and 30 sheep.
“Subsequently, on Feb. 2, at about 10:00 hours, Yansakai groups from 11 villages in Bakori local government regrouped and went after the terrorists with a view to recover the rustled. animals.
“They traced the footpaths of the hoodlums to a location at Yargoje forest, unfortunately, the terrorists planned and launched a coordinated ambush on the Yansakai.
“The hoodlums shot and killed 41 Yansakai and wounded two others,” he said.