Massive Tragedy: Bodies Litter Communities After Bandits Stormed Venue, Killed Many, Others Die As Terrorists Clash

Many people have lost their lives in various communities due to bandits’ attack and clash between opposing terrorist groups.

No fewer than 25 people, including women and children, were reportedly killed as bandits attacked a gathering of Maulud celebrants in Kusa, a community in Musawa LGA of Katsina State. This is even as no fewer than 15 rice farmers from the Zabarmari community of Borno State, who were harvesting crops in Karkut, Bulabulin and Koshebe in Mafa LGA of the state, were said to have been killed following a clash between suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists.

There were conflicting figures as to the number of fatalities in the Katsina attack, as locals said 25 were killed, even as the police said seven victims were shot on the spot, while 18 injured were evacuated to the hospital in Musawa. The Maulud celebrants were said to be from different villages of the state, including Rugar Kusa in Musawa Local Government and Gidan Malamai, as well as Yar Unguwa in Matazu LGA.

Several others sustained gunshot injuries, with no fewer than 17 admitted at the Katsina General Teaching Hospital for bullet extraction and others admitted at the Musawa General Hospital for treatment of injuries.

A father of one of the victims, Malam Salisu, said they heard gunshots around 10:30 pm while their children were attending Maulud celebrations, during which he said 23 people were killed and 16 others injured, including his 9-year-old son. “We brought the 16 injured victims to the hospital, but two died along the way, making the number of dead 25,” he said, adding that before the arrival of security forces, the attackers had fled back to their hideouts.

Also, fewer than 15 rice farmers from the Zabarmari community who were harvesting their crops in Karkut, Bulabulin, and Koshebe in Mafa LGA of Borno State were killed following a clash between suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists. Zabarmari is a farming community located about 25 kilometres from Maiduguri town, where the massacre of 110 rice farmers took place on November 28, 2020.

A security source told our correspondent that the rice farmers were abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists on Saturday with the intent of collecting ransom from their families. “However, some ISWAP terrorists arrived at the place and asked the Boko Haram insurgents to release the poor farmers.

“An argument ensued between them, which led to a clash that started at 4:30pm and raged up to 11:00pm. Unfortunately, the Boko Haram terrorists vented their anger on the poor farmers and slaughtered them. “So far, we have recovered 11 corpses from the bush; three that sustained deep cuts were taken to the specialist hospital in critical condition,” he said.

The Head of Zabarmari community, Bulama Dan Hassan, confirmed the incident, saying they recovered 11 bodies from the bush and buried them according to Islamic rites. “We recovered 10 people from the rice fields where the incident happened and later found another, making 11. We are still searching for some missing farmers,” he said.