Bandits Kill Two, Abduct Wedding Guests in Katsina Attack

Tragedy struck a joyous occasion in Katsina State as suspected bandits attacked a wedding convoy on Sunday night, killing at least two people, injuring several others, including the bride and abducting an unspecified number of guests.The incident occurred in Unguwar Nagunda Community, Kankara Local Government Area, as the wedding party arrived from Mabai, another community in the same LGA.Residents reported heavy gunfire and widespread panic as the armed assailants launched the assault, turning what should have been a celebratory moment into chaos.A security source confirmed on Monday that families were still working to determine the exact number of abducted individuals. “As of this morning, families are still trying to confirm how many people were abducted,” the source said.Several people sustained injuries during the attack, with the bride among those wounded. The precise number of casualties and abductees remained unclear as of the time of reporting, as efforts to account for everyone continued.Efforts to obtain an official comment from the Katsina State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, did not respond to calls or text messages.The attack has heightened concerns in the region, coming amid ongoing discussions about the Katsina State Government's planned release of 70 detained suspected bandits. Officials have defended the move as part of a broader peace deal with repentant bandits, which they say has already led to the release of at least 1,000 abducted persons across various communities.The state government has described such arrangements as common in conflict situations globally, aimed at consolidating peace between affected communities and former bandits.

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