Nine persons have been killed as bandits attacked Danmusa town, the headquarters of Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State.

A resident of the town, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the Daily Trust that the gunmen attacked the town around 8pm on Sunday, October 22, 2023, and operated for hours, killing nine people, including a policeman.

He said the bandits also kidnapped yet to be ascertained number of people and wounded several others.

He added that the attackers conducted house to house raid, where they carted away valuables.

“As I speak to you, there are security agents shooting guns,” he said.

Another source said two of the deceased victims were his neighbours, adding that the policeman was killed during the house-to-house raid after they saw his uniform.

“We are currently preparing their bodies for funeral,” he said, adding that about seven people were also kidnapped.

Unconfirmed sources in the community said the attackers might be on a reprisal mission as one of the bandits leaders was captured and killed by the newly commissioned community watch corps in the local government.

There was a bandits kingpin close to Katsira village who boasted that he would eliminate the new community watch corps. They mobilized and killed him in the process.

“It was a few days a go, and that is why we strongly believe that his boys mobilized to carry out this attack,” he said.