A day after scores of residents of a Katsina community blocked a highway to protest incessant attacks by armed bandits, the presidency announced the commencement of a major military operation to sweep bandits and kidnappers out of the state.

Garba Shehu, President Muhammadu Buhari's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, announced in a statement on Sunday that the president has ordered the commencement of the operation.

The presidential aide also quoted President Buhari to have expressed sadness over the recent attacks in the state and extended his condolences to the families of those killed as well as prayed for the recovery of the injured.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how hundreds of residents of Yangayya community in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State on Saturday blocked a highway to protest repeated attacks by armed bandits in the community.

The bandits returned on Saturday around 8 a.m. During the attack, they raped and physically assaulted many women, with some of the women later hospitalised, a resident said, asking not to be named for security reasons.