Agaju Madugba, Katsina

The Katsina State government may have imposed a ban on all forms of farming around the dreaded Rugu Forest as bandits and kidnappers continue to harass residents in at least nine of the 34 local government areas.

The latest act of kidnapping occurred on Tuesday in Batsari Local Government area as unidentified gunmen abducted the village head of Labo, Alhaji Maigari Bature, while working on his farm.

Eyewitness accounts said that the abductors arrived the farm on several motorcycles, shooting sporadically in the air apparently to scare other farmers, isolated the village head and and zoomed off with him into the nearby Rugu forest.

The Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gambo Isah, who confirmed the report urged farmers to comply with government’s directive on the prohibition of farming in areas surrounding the Rugu forest.

“The police are on top of the matter to ensure that the village head is rescued from the kidnappers,” Isah said, noting that, “men of Operation Puff Adder responded to the distress call from the villagers

“We are following a lead that may assist us in his rescue and members of the communities are reminded to put the security of their lives first before embarking on any activity and also reminding them off the state government’s directives on the suspending farming activities around the Rugu forest.

Bandits and kidnappers have virtually overrun Batsari, Jibia, Safana, Dan-Musa, Faskari, Sabuwa, Dandume, Kankara and parts of Kafur  counci areas, all of which share borders with the dreaded  forest and parts of Zamfara and Kaduna states.

Aside the inauguration of Governor Aminu Bello Masari on May 29, for a second term in office, government had cancelled all other activities earlier scheduled to mark the occasion as well as the June 12 Democracy Day.

‘‘As we are all aware, the state has of recent witnessed disturbing resurgence of incidences of armed banditry and kidnapping for ransom, more prevalent especially in the frontline council areas bordering the Rugu Forest.

The Katsina State Police Command recently deployed members of a special squad, “Operation Puff Adder,” to various parts of the state, to check activities of bandits and kidnappers.