A wave of violent attacks across various communities in Katsina State has resulted in the deaths of at least six people and the abduction of 59 others. The assaults have been attributed to armed bandits who have been terrorizing local populations in recent weeks.
The most recent attack took place on Sunday night, around 10:30 p.m., in Layin Gara village located within Funtua Local Government Area (LGA). In this incident, two residents were killed, and 16 others were abducted. A local resident, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed to reporters that the attackers were able to operate for hours without facing any significant resistance from security forces.
This follows a deadly raid in Maikuma village, situated in the Dandume LGA, that occurred the previous Saturday. During this attack, bandits killed four people and abducted approximately 43 others, although some reports suggest the actual number of captives may be closer to 45 or even higher.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers arrived on motorcycles, heavily armed with sophisticated weapons. They spent hours moving from one house to another, looting and kidnapping residents before retreating into the nearby forest with their captives.
Basiru Musa, the Chairman of Dandume LGA, confirmed the scale of the attack. “The bandits came in their numbers—over 100 of them. Their goal was to kill and abduct as many people as possible. They killed four and kidnapped around 43,” he said. The chairman added that despite efforts to inform the police and military about the impending attack, security forces were unable to prevent the assault.
“When I received information about a potential attack, I contacted both the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and the military unit in the area. They responded promptly, but security forces couldn’t go beyond their designated boundaries and had to pull back when the attackers fled into the forest,” Musa explained.
The ongoing attacks have raised significant concerns among residents of Katsina State, who fear for their safety. The Chairman of Dandume LGA expressed his frustration over the lack of adequate security measures to combat the banditry.
He urged the government to take urgent action and reinforce security forces in the region to prevent further loss of lives and abductions. “We need more action from the government to tackle this security crisis,” Musa concluded.
