Police: 41 killed after ambush by gunmen in Katsina forest

The Katsina police command says 41 persons were killed following an ambush by gunmen at Yargoje forest in the state.

In a statement on Friday, Gambo Isah, police spokesperson in the state, said the incident occurred on Wednesday.

Isah said the gunmen invaded the home of one Alhaji Muntari in Kandarawa, Bakori LGA, and stole 80 animals.

He said members of the proscribed vigilante group, Yan sakai, from 11 villages in Bakori LGA, while attempting to retrieve the stolen animals, trailed the gunmen but ran into an ambush.

“On Wednesday, 1/02/2023 at about 2200hrs, terrorists in their numbers, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles, attacked the house of one Alhaji Muntari, at Unguwar Audu Gare, Kandarawa, Bakori LGA, and rustled fifty (50) cows and thirty (30) sheep,” the statement reads.

“Subsequently, on Thursday, 2/02/2023, at about 10:00hrs, Yansakai outlawed group, from eleven (11) villages from Bakori LGA, regrouped and went after the terrorists with a view to recover the rustled domestic animals

“They traced the footpath of the hoodlums to a location at Yargoje forest. Unfortunately, the terrorists planned and launched a coordinated ambush on the Yansakai.”

The police spokesperson said ttwo persons in the Yansakai group sustained injuries and were taken to the Kankara General Hospital for treatment.

“The hoodlums shot and killed forty-one (41) Yansakai and wounded two (2). Area commander, Malumfashi, led a team of policemen to the scene and recovered the corpses and injured to Kankara General, Hospital,” he added.

He also said a joint security operation is ongoing to ensure the gunmen are apprehended.