• Bandits kidnap girl, 13, injure man in Katsina
• Masari to engage monarchs in intelligence gathering

Unknown gunmen on Sunday evening hacked down proprietor of Winners Comprehensive High School (WCHS) in Jalingo metropolis, Taraba State, Danlami Shamaki.

The late Shamaki also reportedly founded the popular New Edition Primary School, Jalingo.The news of his death came when the state government was fashioning out plans to clamp down on hoodlums whose activities continued to drag the state backwards.

The bandits were said to have shattered Shamaki’s vehicle with gunshots in Dan-Ancha village of Gassol Council.The Guardian gathered that the late educationist was returning to the state capital from Abuja when he was killed.

Confirming the incident, the widow, Juliana Shamaki, wondered what warranted the assassination of her husband.

The Guardian visited the school, believed to be one of the leading educational centres in the North East geo-political zone and observed staff and students in mourning mood.

Some of the students told The Guardian that the proprietor’s death would affect their performance in the forthcoming external examinations.

“We have indeed lost a leader and a father that would take us several years to replace,” some of the students said in tears.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), David Misal, said nobody had drawn the attention of the command to the incident yet.
IN a related development, bandits have attacked the headquarters of Kurfi Council of Katsina State and kidnapped a 13-year-old girl, Khdijat Mutaka.

During the incident, which occurred about 9.30pm on Sunday, the bandits moved around in their numbers on motorcycles, shooting sporadically.

Though no life was lost, they shot and injured 30-year-old Ibrahim Yar-Garshe.

The Guardian gathered that the bandits had sneaked into the community from a nearby mountain and mingled with residents, hours before the attack.

MEANWHILE, Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari says his administration will engage traditional rulers in the area of intelligence gathering to check banditry and related security challenges.

Speaking during the flag-off of the Nigeria Army Super Camp IV in Faskari Council yesterday, Masari said the village security committees would be revived to work with the monarchs in the 361 political wards in the state.

He lamented that the 1976 council reforms, which usurped the functions of traditional rulers, led to the collapse of village security committees.

The governor added that his administration would go through the archives to reconstitute the committees and restore security at the grassroots.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen. Nuhu Angbazo, described revival of village security committees as a good approach to effectively tackle criminality.

He, however, commended Masari for synergising with the military and other security agencies in the fight against banditry in the state.