Bandits on killing, kidnapping festival in Katsina, as police were in show of force against peaceful protesters in Lagos

Violent activities at the weekend were in opposite directions in Lagos and Katsina states last Saturday.  Bandits were in their usual festival of killing and kidnapping in Katsina State while the Police were in show of force against unarmed peaceful protesters in Lagos on Saturday. The bandits in a fresh attack in Funtua Area Council, Katsina State, killed one person and kidnapped three other persons.

The operations went without intervention of the police. Residents of the community were compelled to send distress message to the police and other security agencies to come to their rescue, at least to prevent another invasion by the bandits.

An anonymous source was reported to have narrated: the “kidnappers gained access into the neighborhood last night, killing one person, while a father whose two daughters were abducted died of a heart attack.”

In Lagos, the police had on Friday engaged in show of force to intimidate Nigerian youths against the planned second wave of #EndSARS protest at the Lekki Toll Gate on Saturday.  Perhaps, the show of force could not intimidate the youths who in their October mass action were confronted by the Nigerian Army at the same Lekki Toll Gate. The youths turned out for the protests on Saturday but were met with police violence to repel the protest. Many protesters were arrested by the police; some alleged they were stripped naked by the police during their arrest last Saturday; while in Katsina, it was another wave of invasion, killing and kidnapping by bandits without police intervention.

Meanwhile, there were expectations that speedy completion of a police station under building in the area would bring respite to the people. The police authorities in the state were said to have assured that the completion of the police station will guarantee safety for communities of the low-cost, Yanwanki, Government Residential Area, Katsina Agricultural and Rural Development Agency, KTARDA, Project Quarters, Ahmadu Bello University/School of Basic and Remedial Studies, ABU Quarters, Shagari Quarters and the Zamfarawa Quarters all in the Funtua Metropolis.

kidnappers gained access into the neighborhood last night, killing one person, while a father whose two daughters were abducted died of a heart attack.”

In Lagos, the police had on Friday engaged in show of force to intimidate Nigerian youths against the planned second wave of #EndSARS protest at the Lekki Toll Gate on Saturday.  Perhaps, the show of force could not intimidate the youths who in their October mass action were confronted by the Nigerian Army at the same Lekki Toll Gate. The youths turned out for the protests on Saturday but were met with police violence to repel the protest. Many protesters were arrested by the police; some alleged they were stripped naked by the police during their arrest last Saturday; while in Katsina, it was another wave of invasion, killing and kidnapping by bandits without police intervention.

Meanwhile, there were expectations that speedy completion of a police station under building in the area would bring respite to the people. The police authorities in the state were said to have assured that the completion of the police station will guarantee safety for communities of the low-cost, Yanwanki, Government Residential Area, Katsina Agricultural and Rural Development Agency, KTARDA, Project Quarters, Ahmadu Bello University/School of Basic and Remedial Studies, ABU Quarters, Shagari Quarters and the Zamfarawa Quarters all in the Funtua Metropolis.