•Neutralises eight of them, residents flee in heat of gunbattle
Francis Sardauna in Katsina
Troops, Sunday night, dazed some terrorists, who attempted to ransack their camp in Nahuta village in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State, and killed eight of the terrorists in the process.
The development, however, forced residents to flee the area after a fierce gunbattle between both parties.
The rampaging suspected terrorists, armed with sophisticated weapons, and riding on many motorcycles, attacked the joint military camp on Sunday night.
Several attempts to confirm the incident from military authorities in Katsina and the state police command were futile as of press time.
But a credible security source, who confirmed the development on telephone to THISDAY, said the hoodlums invaded the military camp in a large number.
“The attack took place at about 11 pm on Sunday. The fierce gunbattle lasted for several hours,” he said, adding that the military took cover in safe places, where they were able to repel the terrorists.
The source, who worked in the area, explained that hundreds of residents of the affected village had deserted the area and now taking refuge in Wagini and Batsari towns.
A resident of the community, Adamu Aliyu told THISDAY that eight terrorists were killed during the fierce gunbattle and their corpses were recovered by the military personnel.
“After the gunbattle, the military and other security personnel recovered eight dead bodies of the bandits in bushes around Nahuta this (Monday) evening,” he said.
