OVER 5,000 people have been displaced following a fresh wave of coordinated attacks by armed bandits across several communities in Katsina State’s Bakori and Faskari Local Government Areas.
The affected villages—among them Guga, Anguwar Danmarka, Kandarawa, and Gidan Sarkin Noma—have witnessed repeated raids involving mass killings, abductions, arson, and large-scale cattle rustling.
Despite intensified efforts by security forces and local guards, the violence continues unabated.
During an overnight attack in Dutsinma LGA on July 30, five people, including a businessman, were abducted. Two later escaped, and a suspected attacker was killed by residents.
Dutsinma, which hosts a federal university, has suffered several such incidents, including student kidnappings.
Residents of Bakori and Faskari told newsmen that bandits routinely burn homes, loot silos, and abduct women and children.
Survivors narrated horrific tales of being shot, fleeing in the rain, and abandoning corpses during funeral attacks. Many said they were forced to flee repeatedly, unable to return to their farms.
Yusuf Usman, a 68-year-old resident of Doma village, stated that more than 250 people have been killed in Doma and surrounding areas in the past five years.
Another survivor, Mallama Marawiya from Yar Dabaru, said that 10 nursing mothers and their babies are still being held hostage, with ransom demands of ₦1.5 million each.
Many of the displaced are currently sheltered in Bakori town, with local authorities providing emergency food and relief materials.
The Chairman of the Emergency Contact Committee on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Kabir Mamman Yaro Bakori, said more than 5,700 people are now taking refuge in Bakori and nearby Guga.
Meanwhile, in Sabuwa LGA, a viral video showed a farmer lamenting the destruction of his crops.
In response, the local council stated that the clearance of farmland near highways was a strategic decision made with community input to prevent bandits from using crops for cover during ambushes.
State officials, including the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, acknowledged the severity of the security situation. However, they emphasized that efforts by Governor Dikko Radda’s administration have yielded improvements in many LGAs.
Grassroots Advocates for Peace, Development and Equity in Nigeria have called on the federal government to declare Bakori a high-risk security zone, urging the deployment of military forces, humanitarian aid, and the creation of protected civilian zones.
Despite government claims of progress, many affected residents say the reality on the ground remains grim.
Survivors continue to call for urgent intervention to prevent further bloodshed and avert a humanitarian crisis.