Bandits Kill 11, Abduct Several In Fresh Attacks On Katsina Communities

No fewer than 11 people have been killed, several others injured, and multiple residents abducted in a series of coordinated attacks by armed bandits on communities in the Kankara Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.

It was gathered that the attacks began earlier this week and have left residents in fear and disrupted farming activities across the affected areas.

Daily Trust reports that local sources said the attacks started on Monday in Kukasheka village, where four people were killed and others wounded.

The violence escalated on Wednesday, with more casualties in different villages.

In Ammarawa, bandits killed four people and injured one in an early morning assault, while Dan Gani village saw one fatality and the abduction of seven villagers.

Meanwhile, in Tudu village, a woman named Saude was kidnapped during a mid-morning attack around 9 a.m.

Residents of Kankara LGA have expressed growing concerns over the lack of security and the increasing threat to their lives and livelihoods.

The bandits’ activities have also prevented farmers from accessing their crops, deepening fears of food insecurity in the region.

However, residents explained their frustration, lamenting that banditry has made it nearly impossible to harvest their crops safely.

One resident shared a personal tragedy, recounting how his father was attacked on their farm just two days after the same group killed his brother.

Despite sustaining a severe head injury, his father passed away nine days later in the hospital.

Meanwhile, Katsina State Police spokesperson, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, assured that an investigation into the attacks was underway.

Kankara has been a hub of banditry for years, with terrorists continuing to cause havoc despite ongoing security measures. In response, the Katsina State government launched the Community Watch Corps, a local security initiative credited with reducing the frequency and scale of attacks.

However, bandits remain undeterred, carrying out bold assaults even in broad daylight.