At least 12 people have been reported killed after a notorious banditry kingpin, Dankarami, on Friday attacked a village harbouring another bandit, Mani Turwa, who recently repented.
During the attack that lasted four hours, Mr Dankarami’s men burnt down a section of Illela in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.
A top officer at the operations department of the Katsina police command told PREMIUM TIMES that the attack was led by Mr Dankarami himself.
The officer declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
Residents said the bandits attacked came in large numbers. One of the residents, who has now taken refuge in Katsina, said “the bandits were more than 500 because each motorcycle carried three of them.”
The police command spokesperson, Gambo Isa, confirmed the attack. He said several residents were killed but the number had not been confirmed.
Mani Turwa repents
In April 2021, Mani Turwa, one of the most notorious bandits in the Safana – Danmusa – Batsari axis, surrendered his arms to the police.
Mr Turwa was said to have convinced other bandits living in the Illela forest neighbouring the dreaded Rugu forest to also surrender their arms and turn a new leaf.
Those who repented include Sale Turwa (Mani’s relative), Ado Sarki and Sani Mai Daji.
According to the then Commissioner of Police in Katsina, the bandits surrendered on their own volition.
Some of the arms and ammunition they surrendered,according to the police were: two General Purpose Machine guns, one AK 49 Assault rifle, 23 AK 47 Assault rifles, 109 GPMG ammunition, 94 7.62mm live ammunition of AK 47 rifle and 45 rustled cows.
Turwa courts Dankarami’s anger
After their decision to surrender was accepted by the police, most of the repentant bandits returned to normal life but Mr Turwa decided to be a “good Samaritan.”
A source who is an executive member of the Katsina State branch of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breaders Association told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Turwa courted the anger of the active bandits when he took to protecting the people of Illela and other villages against bandits’ attacks.
“He kept frustrating efforts by other bandits’ to attack the village and other communities around Illela and before you knew it, he had become a king of a sort. The villagers knew he was the one protecting them and they alerted him of any impending attack. Sometimes, he would fight the other bandits while most of the times, he would talk to them and persuade them not to attack,” the Miyetti Allah official, who asked not to be named due to safety concerns, said.
His status as a ‘saviour’ annoyed the active bandits, including Dankarami.
Before the attack on Friday, both the police source and the Miyetti Allah official said Mr Turwa had been warned by Mr Dankarami to stop protecting the community.
“Mani Turwa knew of the impending attack,” the senior police officer said. “He was ready for them. But when they came, unfortunately, they met him in the village. He knew they would come but he was not sure of the date. Although he was ready, he was caught inside the village instead of outside the community.”
The Miyetti Allah official said none of Mr Turwa’s boys and family members was hurt.
“When it was obvious that they were overpowered, the bandits turned on innocent residents,” he said.
Illela ransacked
Mariya Yusuf, a resident of the village, who ran to Katsina to seek refuge, said the bandits were “there to kill all of us.”
“It was horrendous. Most of us in the village have (had) left for Dutsin Ma, Kankara, Katsina. All the buildings in our area in Alhazawa have been burnt down by the bandits,” she said.
Mrs Yusuf said she did not know how many people were killed because she hid on a tree throughout the attack.
“I left around 6 a.m. and there was nobody in the town because we are all afraid that they may return to burn the other section of the village.”
Lawal Yusuf, another resident of the village, said he counted 12 bodies in the morning after the attack.
“They have not been buried as at this morning (Sunday) because people who returned after the attack to conduct the burial fled after they got information that the bandits were mobilising to return to the village,” he said.
Police react
Mr Isa, a Superintendent of Police, said the residents of Illela were caught in an exchange of fire “between repented and active bandits”.
“I can confirm that the attack happened on the 27 of January. The command received information from the Divisional Police Office of Safana that Illela community was being attacked,” he said.
He, however, said though people were killed, the number was still unknown.
“You may hear different figures now but we need to verify things. More security personnel including soldiers have been deployed and they are currently on the bandits’ trail,” Mr Isa said.
