The lawmaker representing Jibia/Kaita Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Sada Soli, has said that the bandits who killed worshippers at a mosque in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State hold control of territory in the state.
He disclosed this while speaking about the attack on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday.
“They are the ones who hold territory in the state. They are known especially on the axis of Kankara, bordering Zamfara State.
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“They enter Kankara, then they enter Malumfashi, then they enter Funto on this side. They are contiguous local governments; they all share borders. So these are some of the difficulties,” Soli said.
The lawmaker said the bandits had been troubling the area for a long time, “particularly with the influence of the crisis in Zamfara State.
“You see, our major problem in Katsina State is actually the problem of Zamfara State,” he added.
On the identities of the bandits terrorising residents, the federal lawmaker said, “They are not from the moon; they are people who live with us. They are not people coming from somewhere, so the security operatives know them.”
But he noted that the insecurity in some parts of the state could not be addressed by the state alone, and therefore, called for the intervention of the Federal Government.
The attack reportedly occurred during the early morning (Fajr) prayers on Tuesday when the bandits stormed the mosque and opened fire on the worshippers.
The Katsina Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasiru Mu’azu, in a statement, described the incident as “a reprisal” undertaken by the hoodlums after residents of the area had earlier confronted them.
On Wednesday, the state government said that the death toll from the attack had risen to 32.
This was contained in a statement by the media directorate of the government following a visit by a delegation led by the Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Faskari, to the Unguwar Mantau community.
The delegation was received in Karfi town by the village head and the relatives of the deceased.
“During the condolence visit, it was confirmed that 32 people were killed while observing prayers. The number of those kidnapped is still being verified, as a swift air interdiction by the Nigerian Air Force disrupted the bandits while they were moving with captives.
“In the ensuing confusion, some victims scattered in different directions, while others were rescued and are now receiving treatment in hospitals,” the statement partly read.