No fewer than 2,027 residents of four villages in the Jibiya Local Government Area of Katsina State, who were forced to abandon their homes last week due to attacks by bandits, returned to their various homes on Monday.

The state government facilitated the victims’ return to their homes.

The villagers, who took refuge in Jibiya last week Thursday following bandits’ attacks on their villages, were accommodated at the Jibiya Central Primary School.

Investigation revealed that the villagers were from Tsamben Tsauni, Tsamben Kotumbo, Tsambe Radi and Tsamben Zango.

It was further learnt that bandits stormed the villages last week Tuesday and Wednesday, and subjected many residents to inhumane treatment.

According to the head of Tsamben Tsauni village, Ibrahim Ali-Magarin, the bandits sexually molested several women and inflicted injuries on men, who could not give them money.

Ali-Magarin said the bandits also abducted two women, rustled 170 goats and looted food items and personal belongings of the villagers.

He said, “We had to run away from the village when the bandits attacked us twice last week. But we thank God and the state government for facilitating our return today (Monday).”

It was observed that a combined team of military, the police, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps accompanied the villagers back to their respective villages.

The Chairman of the Internally Displaced Persons Committee for Jibiya, Gide Dahiru, who also witnessed the return of the villagers, said security operatives had been instructed to remain in the villages to provide security for the affected communities.