Banditry: Katsina Death Toll Hits 50
At least 50 people have been killed in a fresh wave of bandit attacks in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, according to Hon. Aminu Ibrahim, the lawmaker representing Malumfashi Constituency in the State House of Assembly.
Raising the alarm during plenary on Wednesday, Ibrahim said the attacks claimed 30 lives during mosque prayers, while another 20 victims were burnt alive in separate incidents across Gidan Adamu Mantau, Unguwar Yar Mai Dabo, Makera in Karfi Ward, and Burdigau in Yaba Ward.
He lamented that villagers had earlier reported suspicious movements of armed men around Burdigau on Monday evening, but security forces arrived late and later withdrew without securing the area. By dawn on Tuesday, the bandits launched coordinated assaults.
“The situation has become unbearable. Our people can no longer live in their villages because of these relentless attacks,” Ibrahim told colleagues, urging the government to establish permanent security bases in Karfi and Yaba wards.
The lawmaker’s disclosure has heightened concern among fellow legislators, who warned that Katsina communities continue to face rising death tolls despite the presence of security operatives.
Eyewitnesses recounted that on Tuesday morning, gunmen stormed Unguwan Mantau, opening fire on worshippers during early morning (Fajr) prayers, leaving 13 dead.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, confirmed the incidents, describing them as reprisal attacks by criminal elements. He said the government had reinforced security deployments and was working to provide relief support for the affected communities.
Locals, however, describe the situation as a “daily war of survival,” with many families fleeing their homes to escape the escalating violence.
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