TheCable

The Katsina police command has arrested one Surajo Madawaki, the village head of Gobirau in Faskari LGA, for allegedly conniving with bandits.

Speaking on Friday while parading the village head, Gambo Isah, the Katsina police spokesman, said the command received a distress call that one Yahaya Danbai, a 35-year-old man, was attacked on his farm.

He said Danbai overpowered his attacker and killed him, adding that the farmer subsequently reported the incident to the village head.

Isah said the village head, on receiving the information, refused to call the police but returned the gun recovered from the farmer’s attacker to the latter’s gang leader.

“The farmer summoned courage, overpowered his assailant, disarmed him and killed the terrorist. He took the recovered AK-47 rifle and reported the incident to the ward head, Malam Surajo Madawaki (50),” the statement reads.

“Rather than report the matter to the police, the village head called one Hamisu, a notorious leader of the killed terrorist, and handed over the recovered AK-47 rifle to him.

“Consequently, Hamisu mobilised his gang, surrounded the village, brought out the gallant farmer and killed him instantly.”

The police spokesman added that the suspected bandits subsequently placed a N10 million ransom on the community, and threatened to kill all the residents if the money wasn’t paid.

“Since then, the said ward head went into hiding until he was eventually arrested,” he added.

“In the course of the investigation, the village head confessed to the commission of the offence.”