Residents of Shuwaki community in Katsina State have described how armed bandits stormed the village at night, spending several hours terrorising residents, looting homes and abducting women.
According to residents, the attackers operated under the cover of darkness, firing sporadically as they moved from house to house in search of livestock, food and other valuables.
One resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the bandits arrived in large numbers and overpowered the community.
“They spent almost the whole night in the village. They went from one house to another looking for animals, food and anything valuable. They also abducted several women,” the resident said.
Another resident, Aminu Magaji, said the attackers threw the community into panic by firing guns intermittently while searching homes.
He explained that the victims were later gathered at the centre of the village before being marched into the bush.
“They assembled those they abducted in one place before taking them away. We couldn’t do anything because they were heavily armed and outnumbered us,” he said.
Garba Hassan Shuwaki, who recently relocated from the village to Bakori town because of insecurity, said the latest attack reflects the worsening security situation in the area.
“I left Shuwaki because of the constant attacks. People can no longer sleep peacefully in their homes. The attacks have become too frequent and everyone is living in fear,” he said.
A community leader, Guga Muhammad, said residents repeatedly called security agencies for help during the attack, but no immediate intervention came.
According to him, security personnel were reportedly reluctant to move in because they feared an ambush.
“We called for help, but the security personnel were afraid of being attacked on their way here. The bandits had already taken over the area and operated for several hours,” he said.
The attack has renewed concerns over the deteriorating security situation in northern Bakori, despite previous peace agreements reportedly reached with some bandit groups.
Residents said the continued attacks have weakened confidence in those peace efforts and left farming communities increasingly exposed.
The latest incident occurred just days after another attack on neighbouring Guga community, where suspected bandits killed members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and a local Community Watch Corps.
Community members are now calling for stronger collaboration between the military, police, other security agencies and local vigilante groups to improve security across the area.
They also appealed for increased patrols on major and rural roads, improved intelligence gathering and faster responses to distress calls.
Residents expressed particular concern over the fate of the abducted women and urged security agencies and the Katsina State Government to intensify efforts to rescue them safely.
They also called on the Federal Government to prioritise the protection of lives and property in vulnerable rural communities, warning that the continued insecurity is forcing people from their homes and disrupting farming, trade and other economic activities.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Katsina State Police Command, DSP Sadik Aliyu, said he was still verifying the incident and promised to provide an update after investigations are concluded.
