Bandits kill vigilante leader as protesters block Katsina highway
Suspected Bandits Kill Vigilante Leader in Katsina, Protests Erupt
MALUMFASHI, Katsina State — A vigilante leader was shot and killed during an armed attack on Gora Village in the Malumfashi Local Government Area on Wednesday, prompting a protest that temporarily blocked the Malumfashi–Katsina highway.
The Katsina State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement issued Thursday by spokesperson DSP Abubakar Sadiq. Police received a distress call at approximately 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, reporting the attack.
In response, the Divisional Police Officer mobilized a team of operatives to the scene, where they managed to repel the attackers. However, the assailants had already fatally shot Alhaji Nuhu Barau, the community’s vigilante leader, before the police arrived.
The police have intensified surveillance and patrols in the area in an effort to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
Later that day, at around 5:00 p.m., authorities received another distress call indicating that an angry crowd had blocked a section of the Malumfashi–Katsina highway, disrupting traffic. The Divisional Police Officer, along with military personnel, responded promptly to the scene and restored order by dispersing the protesters and clearing the highway.
As of now, no arrests have been made, and investigations are ongoing to track down the attackers and clarify the circumstances surrounding the event.
In the statement, Sadiq urged residents to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and to express grievances through legal channels.
Local sources reported that a second resident may have been killed during the attack in Gidan Barau village. However, the police confirmed only the death of Alhaji Nuhu Barau. The highway remained blocked for approximately four hours until security personnel intervened.
