By Matthew Tabe
Tension has continued to mount at Gobirawa village in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, as bandits demand N10 million in ransom from the community.
However, the Katsina State Police Command has arrested a community leader of Gobirawa village, Malam Surajo Madawaki for complicity in the murder of a farmer from the area, by a terrorist gang.
The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Gambo Isah, while briefing newsmen at the headquarters in Katsina on Friday, said that the suspect facilitated the murder of the gallant farmer who had overpowered a terrorist on his farm.
He said: “On October 19, 2022, at about 0900hrs, a distress call was received that one Yahaya Danbai, aged 35 years, of Gobirawa village, Faskari local Government Area, was attacked by a suspected terrorist with AK 47 rifle, while working on his farmland at the outskirts of the village.
“The farmer summoned courage and overpowered his assailant, disarmed him and killed the terrorist.
“Subsequently, the ward head, instead of reporting the matter to the police, called one Hamisu, a notorious terrorist and leader of the killed terrorist, reported the incident to him and handed over the recovered AK 47 rifle to him.
“Consequently, the terrorists’ gang leader, mobilised his gang, surrounded the village, brought out the gallant farmer and killed him instantly.
“Furthermore, the terrorists then placed a N10 million ransom on the community for the killing one of their members by the late farmer, failing which they will kill everybody in the village.
“Since then the said ward head went into hiding until he was eventually arrested by a team of policemen.
“In the course of investigation, the suspect confessed to the committing of the offence.”