Fresh tension has gripped communities in Katsina State following another wave of bandit attacks that left one person dead and several others abducted. According to residents, the latest assault, which occurred late Monday night, was the third in less than a week, raising the number of kidnapped victims from the affected areas to over 30.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the attackers invaded Danjanku village around midnight, scaling fences to gain entry into homes where they whisked away residents and killed one person in the process.
Outraged by the recurring attacks and the government’s failure to protect them, angry youths took to the streets on Tuesday morning, blocking the Funtua–Katsina highway in protest. The demonstration, which started peacefully, reportedly turned violent when security operatives moved in to disperse the crowd. In the ensuing chaos, one protester was allegedly shot dead.
The unrest spread to neighbouring communities of Dantashi and Dayi, where residents joined in solidarity, blocking roads and burning tyres to express their frustration over the worsening insecurity.
Normalcy was later restored after the intervention of traditional rulers and community elders. The Village Head of Danjanku, Alhaji Tanimu Almakiyayi, confirmed the incident, saying, “They came last night, killed one person and abducted several others. We are living in fear here.”
A security source, who requested anonymity, also confirmed the attack. However, residents alleged that soldiers deployed to disperse the protesters shot two people dead and injured two others during the confrontation.
Efforts to reach the Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer for comment were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered.
Local sources revealed that Malumfashi and the neighbouring Bakori communities have continued to suffer repeated attacks despite a peace agreement previously reached with the bandits.
“They still demand levies before we can harvest our crops. Even after paying, there’s no assurance we can farm or move freely,” a resident lamented.
