Despite efforts by Katsina communities to engage with armed men terrorizing residents, suspected bandits invaded the Doguwar Šorawa community, killing two elderly community leaders and abducting several residents.
The latest assault, which residents described as “gruesome and heartbreaking,” adds to the unending wave of attacks that have left many dead and displaced across the area.
As learnt, the bandits stormed the village, barely two kilometres from Guga in Bakori Local Government Area, and operated for more than an hour, killing and abducting residents without resistance from security agents.
One of the residents, Mahadi Guga, confirmed that two well-known community leaders, Bishir and Surajo, were brutally killed during the attack for no apparent reason.
“We are preparing for their burial now. Many others were taken away, and the entire village is in shock. We are yet to confirm the numbers, but they are numerous,” he said in a distressed tone.
Guga lamented that the region has become a recurring target despite repeated promises by authorities to restore peace.
“It’s now part of our daily reality. We live in fear, and no one feels safe anymore,” he added.
According to another villager, the gunmen “parked their motorcycles in the bush and walked into the village quietly before opening fire on anyone they found.”
Residents further told journalists that the perpetrators are believed to be members of criminal gangs loyal to dreaded bandit leaders Idi Aiki and Kwashen Garuwa, who have long terrorized Bakori and its surrounding communities.
This latest attack on the community comes barely two weeks after similar raids on Ganjar, Alhazawa, and Gidan Nagari, where at least 43 people were abducted, forcing families to flee their homes for safety.
Although local leaders and security observers have renewed calls for stronger security operations in rural Katsina, the cycle of killings and abductions continues to escalate beyond control.
