Haruna Abale, the traditional ruler of Kukar Babangida, a community in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State, has been killed by terrorists in a Thursday morning attack.
Mr Abale was killed alongside nine other residents including his biological son, Idris Haruna.
Multiple sources from the community told PREMIUM TIMES that the terrorists’ first point of call was the monarch’s official residence where they killed him, his son and four others.
The terrorists also burnt down some houses, vehicles and shops in the community.
“I believe it was a planned attack to specifically take out the monarch who was known to be outspoken and critical of the terrorists,” a community leader in Kukar Babangida, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said. “His house was the first they (terrorists) went to when they entered the community. Some of the terrorists surrounded the house while the others entered.”
The attack began around 1:00 a.m. and went on for several hours.
One of the monarch’s sons, who also asked not to be named, said his brother Idris and his four friends sleeping in the house were locked in their room by the terrorists before they were eventually shot.
“It was terrible. The terrorists went to my father’s inner room and shot him several times. They then went back to my brother, Idris’s room and killed him alongside four of his friends who slept at the house,” the monarch’s son told PREMIUM TIMES over the phone.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that while some of the terrorists were unleashing mayhem at the monarch’s house, others spread out and began shooting indiscriminately.
“They killed four residents who ran out of their houses due to the intensity of the shootings. So while they were running out of their houses to avoid being caught, the terrorists’ bullets got them,” the community leader, who said a search for dead bodies was still ongoing when PREMIUM TIMES called, said.
Bishir Sabiu, the Jibia Local Government Chairman, confirmed the killing of the monarch and others to journalists.
The police command in the state, through Abubakar Sadik, its spokesperson, also confirmed the attack.
The police said the armed persons “shot and killed nine persons and burnt down five vehicles.”
“Operatives were swiftly deployed as normalcy was restored. Efforts are on to arrest the perpetrators of the dastardly act. Further development will be communicated in due course,” Mr Sadik told PREMIUM TIMES in an SMS.
Kukar Babangida village is one of the worst-hit areas in terms of terrorist activities. The road leading to the community links the Katsina metropolis to Marabar Jibia, a border community with Niger Republic.
North-west Nigeria, especially Zamfara and Katsina States, has been facing renewed terrorist attacks since December last year.
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