There was tension in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State as yet-to-be-identified terrorists killed the head of the vigilante group in the area, Mallam Nabanje.
The terrorists, who attacked the place late Sunday night, also set the house of Nabanje ablaze, NIGERIACRIME learnt.
According to reports, the vigilante leader was the target of the hoodlums but two persons were also shot at while three women were reportedly raped during the attack.
The hoodlums had earlier accused the victim of being the brain behind the destruction of their enclaves, on of the locals and a fellow vigilante from Danmusa said.
He said the attack was more of a revenge mission by the hoodlums.
His words, “The hoodlums arrived in the community in a large number and proceeded to the residence of our vigilante commander.
“They blocked all routes to avoid him escaping. After a painstaking search, they found him under a tree where they engaged him in a gun duel until he ran out of ammunition and was rounded up when he sought refuge in a compound where he was butchered.”
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Confirming the attack, the spokesman of Katsina Police Command, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, said the report got to the police late due to downpour and poor network experienced on the day of the attack.
He however said efforts were ongoing with a view to arresting the hoodlums.
According to ASP Sadiq, the State Police Commissioner has since condoled with the family of the deceased.
Meanwhile, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Bayelsa State Command, said it arrested 193 drug abusers in the state.
The state Commander of the NDLEA, Matthew Ewah, who stated this at a press briefing as part of activities by the command to mark the 2023 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Yenagoa, on Saturday, said the arrests were made between July 2022 and June this year.
Ewah said the command seized a total of 88.019 kilogrammes of illicit substances made up of Cannabis sativa (54.298kg), cocaine (0.014kg), Heroin (0.027kg), Methamphetamine (0.128kg), Tramadol (1.872kg), Diazapam (6.952kg), Swino/Raphinol (0.023kg), Exol-5 (0.6kg), Pentagocine (1.65kg), mixtures of C/S and alcohol (22.455kg) and ampules of injection.
Ewah also said the command filed 32 cases and secured nine convictions, while 28 matters were pending in court.
He said, “Four (suspects) were arrested with three locally-made pistols, one battle axe and 11 cartridges, and transferred to the police. One (case of) kidnap was also transferred to the police.”
According to him, the command under its anti-drug activities, carried out 150 drug-prevention education programmes in schools, marketplaces, communities, worship centres and media houses.