Terrorists Disguised in Women’s Clothing ‘Abaya’ Kidnap 26 in Katsina

Terrorists, disguised in women’s Abaya (a type of dress), kidnapped 26 people in Katsina State over the weekend. The attack occurred in the Runka community, primarily targeting women and children.

A local resident reported that the terrorists invaded the community around 10:30 p.m., shooting sporadically. “In my house alone, they abducted 10 females and two males. In total, they took 26 people from the community,” he said. He attributed the attack to informants who collaborated with the terrorists, undermining government efforts to combat them.

The resident also claimed that some informants were from within the community. He recounted hearing one terrorist exchange pleasantries with an informant, saying, “Today we’ve come to your hometown.” The informant has yet to be identified.

‘Took Us by Surprise’

Abdullahi Sani Safana, Chairman of Safana Local Government Area in Katsina State, confirmed the abduction of 22 locals, noting that some managed to escape. He said the terrorists’ disguise in women’s Abaya took them by surprise.

The local DPO has deployed operatives, and soldiers stationed in the area have initiated a rescue mission. Abduljalal Haruna Runka, Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, expressed dismay over the lack of prior information on the terrorists’ movements. He noted that usual channels for obtaining intelligence to thwart such attacks were blocked this time.

“They just appeared in the middle of the night. We are going back to the drawing board to analyze the situation and understand why we couldn’t get the information,” he said.