Bandits Invade Katsina Communities, Kill Six, Abduct 59

At least six people have been killed and around 59 others abducted in separate attacks across various communities in Katsina State.

The most recent attack occurred around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday in Layin Gara village, located in Funtua Local Government Area (LGA), where two people were killed, and 16 others were abducted.

A resident of the area, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Daily Trust that the attackers operated for several hours without facing any resistance.

Earlier, on Saturday, bandits attacked Maikuma village in Dandume LGA, killing four people and kidnapping approximately 43 others. The attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons and riding motorcycles, stormed the community in large numbers.

A source said, “They moved from house to house for hours before retreating into the forest with their victims.”

The Chairman of Dandume LGA, Basiru Musa, confirmed the attack, stating that over 100 bandits were involved in the assault.

“Their goal was to kill and abduct as many people as possible. They killed four and kidnapped around 43. However, some say the number is closer to 45 or even higher,” he said.

Musa further explained that, upon receiving information about a potential attack, he contacted both the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and the military unit in the area.

While they responded promptly, the security forces could not go beyond their designated boundaries and were forced to pull back when the attackers fled into the forest.

The chairman expressed frustration over the persistent attacks and called on the government to take more decisive action to address the ongoing security crisis in the region.