Hundreds of terrorists led by a notorious bandit, Ɗan-ƙarami, have reportedly moved from Zamfara to areas between Safana and Batsari local government areas in Katsina state.
Villagers said the terrorists were fleeing a military attack in Zamfara.
They were said to have moved to Tsaskiya, Runka, Gora, Labo and other communities in the two local government areas.
The villagers said the terrorists have teamed up with another notorious bandit, Usman Moɗi-Moɗi, who has been terrorizing residents of the area.
The villagers said that the terrorists, in large numbers and heavily armed, moved into the area with many herds of cattle.
“About 1,000 of them who arrived on some 300 motorbikes spent Saturday night in Labo village,” a reliable source told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He added that the terrorists were spread out in at least five villages on the fringes of the Rugu forest between Safana and Batsari, as well as in part of Zamfara.
However, the source said what was unclear was whether the bandits were in transit or setting up a new base in the area.
The villagers appealed to the army and the Katsina state government to respond promptly and deny the terrorists any space to operate.
Dankarami and his gang were known to raid towns and cities in Zamfara and attack security personnel.
A community leader said YAYA on condition of anonymity that some of the villagers have begun to relocate to avoid being caught up in the impending disaster.
He urged the military to deploy its ground and air assets to decimate the terrorists before they wreak more havoc.
“If nothing is done immediately, these terrorists will pose a serious threat to the security of many surrounding local government areas, including the state capital.
“There are many and they are heavily armed. The government must respond with decisive firepower to save the people,” she added. Similarly, a Runka resident said: “Since last week, these bandits were seen clearing bushes to make shelters, which means they want to be here permanently.
“We heard that Dan-Karami came to Usman Modi-Modi a few days ago, and Modi-Modi gave him weapons. This means that they will work together to continue to perpetrate their criminal activities in those areas.
“Dankarami also came with dangerous weapons; the locals are telling us that they have never seen bandits in large numbers and the kind of weapons they have. They are expanding their base in the area.”
He also urged the government and security agencies to speed up measures to prevent terrorists from taking control of the area.
When contacted, Ibrahim Ahmad-Katsina, special security adviser to Governor Aminu Masari, said only security forces could comment on the matter.
However, the spokesman for the Police Command in the state, Gambo Isah, said that they are investigating the veracity of the information.
“There is such a rumor of the ongoing onslaught on military and police operations in Zamfara forcing some terrorists to relocate to some parts of the state.
“Here in Katsina, the security forces, in particular the Army, the Nigerian Air Force and the Police, have taken note of that and are investigating to determine its authenticity and take appropriate action,” he said.
ALSO READ: Troops kill 30 terrorists, apprehend 48
Katsina, like Zamfara in northwestern Nigeria, has been a hotbed of terrorist activities that have claimed many lives and displaced many others.
Terrorists also called on bandits to kill, maim, and kidnap for ransom despite government efforts to tame them over the years.