Twenty-two persons were reportedly killed while many women were abducted when suspected bandits attacked Zangon-Kankara and Makera in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.

A resident of Zango-Kankara told an online news portal that the attacks occurred on Thursday evening.

He said while 18 people were killed in Zangon, four lost their lives in Makera where several women were abducted.

The resident said the attackers had written letters to the villagers ahead of the attack, warning them that they would strike.

“The bandits had attacked Zangon earlier on Sunday and they came back on Thursday around 8pm. They wrote letters to the village that they were coming to attack but nothing was done. Several people were killed in the attack, while many of our women were abducted,” he said.

“Our people fled the town when the bandits attacked them. Police came nine hours later. Even with the presence of security operatives in the villages as we speak, people are leaving in droves.”

When the online news portal attempted to reach Gambo Isah, police spokesman in the state, his telephone lines were not reachable but text messages were sent.

Katsina is among the states with high level of insecurity in the north-west.

On June 11, suspected bandits abducted the village head of Garin Labo in Batsari local government area of the state.

On July 13, at least 10 persons were killed in an attack on Kirtawa village in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina. (New Telegraph)