By OLAIDE OYELUDE, Katsina

No fewer than fifteen farmers were on Monday morning killed by bandits at Yar Gamji village in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Residents disclosed that the farmers were working on their farmland when the bandits attacked about 10am and killed them.

It was further learnt that the bandits in their numbers, arrived on the farmland on motorcycles and carried out the attack for about one hour.

The residents reportedly sent distress calls to security operatives who subsequently mobilized to repel the bandits.

The bandits were reported to have retreated to the forest after a shootout with security operatives.

It was further learnt that residents later retrieved the corpses of the farmers.

The Spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, SP Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident.

He said, “It’s true, fifteen persons were killed in the attack. The bandits numbering over 200 came on motorcycles armed with AK 47 rifles pursuing them (the farmers) even to the forest, shooting and killing them.

“A mop up after revealed the 15 corpses. At present, our people are on ground and I am expecting a detailed report on their confrontation with the bandits.”

Bandits on Friday morning and Saturday night, struck in Batsari and Matazu Local Government Areas during which they killed two persons and abducted six others including the All Progressives Congress Chairman for Matazu Local Government Area of the state, Alhaji Yushau Dissi.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, however, on Monday, launched another military operation codenamed ‘Operation Sahel Sanity’, to tackle banditry and other crimes in Katsina, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto and Niger States.

Buratai who flagged off the military operation at Faskari, Katsina State, said the exercise, as well as other ongoing military operations, are meant to comprehensively tackle banditry and other crimes in the Northwest and parts of Northcentral with a view to restoring normalcy and peace in the affected states and in Nigeria, generally.

He declared, “The Nigerian Army will be conducting Operation Sahel Sanity with the support of other sister security agencies including the police, the DSS and the authorities of the affected states.

“We are determined to get rid of banditry, cattle rustling and other crimes in the Northwest and part of the Northcentral.” (The PUNCH)