More facts emerged on Wednesday on how the Divisional Police Officer for Jibiya Local Government Area of Katsina State, DSP Abdullahi Rano, was shot and killed early in the morning by terrorists who invaded Magama-Jibiya border town.
Rano was killed when he led security operatives including troops of the Nigeria Army to repel the terrorists who stormed the town about 2 a.m. on Wednesday.
Residents revealed that a soldier was injured during the attack.
They also disclosed that the terrorists arrived in the town in two buses (a J5 and Sharon), about 2 a.m and first attacked the house of one Haliru Mai Bakin Mai located at Magama-Jibiya where they abducted his wife.
Security operatives made up of the police and troops of the Nigeria Army made efforts to repel them.
The terrorists reportedly later headed for Matsiga community in the town where residents said a reinforcement of security operatives led by the DPO also took them up in a gun duel during which he (the DPO) was shot and killed while the soldier was also injured.
The soldier was reportedly responding to treatment on Wednesday evening.
A deputy village head of Mazanya community in the town, Abubakar Sani, confirmed the attack.
Another opinion leader in Magama-Jibia who pleaded anonymity also confirmed the incident, adding that the situation was already calm in the town as at 9 a.m on Wednesday, with security personnel patrolling the community.
Another resident, Nura Magama equally disclosed, “We were indeed in a difficult situation. Upon their arrival at about 2:00 am, they operated for several hours until after the morning prayers while most of the faithful could not perform the prayer as enshrined by God. What happened was that the bandits arrived in the town on J5 and Sharon vehicles during the security operatives engaged them in a gun duel.”
The town remained generally calm as at Wednesday evening while sympathisers were thronging the residence of the man whose wife was abducted.
Meanwhile, sources at the Katsina Police Headquarters disclosed that the remains of the slain DPO was taken to his hometown, Kano for burial on Wednesday.
The Spokesman for the Katsina Police Command, SP Gambo Isah, was yet to respond to the SMS sent to him, enquiring about the incident while his phones continuously rang out.
The PPRO however posted the picture of the late DPO on his WhatsApp platform with a label ‘RIP’ on it.
It was learnt that the PPRO was among the team who went to Kano for the burial of the late DPO.
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