Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Fresh violence erupted last night along the Katsina–Kano border as armed bandits launched another deadly assault, this time targeting the community of Yankamaye in Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State. The attackers swept into the settlement under the cover of darkness, leaving residents terrified and scrambling for safety. In the chaos, a woman was killed, and at least three people were abducted, including the mother-in-law of the community’s councillor, whose capture has further deepened anxiety among locals.
The incident is the latest in a troubling pattern of cross-border attacks that have continued despite the much-publicized peace agreements entered into with bandit groups in several Local Government Areas of Katsina State. Communities that had been assured of calm and gradual restoration of normal life now find themselves questioning the very foundation of those agreements. For villages situated along the porous boundaries between Katsina and Kano, the violence has not only persisted but has evolved into a cycle that mocks the notion of peace.
Residents of border communities say the attacks have become so frequent that the so-called peace deal now feels like a document with no real influence on the ground. Instead of ushering in stability, it seems to have created pockets of security complacency while bandit groups continue to operate with alarming confidence. Many locals argue that agreements signed in Katsina appear meaningless when the same criminals can simply slip across state lines to unleash terror on neighbouring Kano communities, exploiting jurisdictional weaknesses and uneven security presence.
The killing in Yankamaye has revived painful memories for families already living in fear of night-time raids, ambushes, and abductions. For them, the peace pact has done little more than create a façade of dialogue while the underlying threat remains intact. The abduction of the councillor’s mother-in-law reinforces the sense that no one, not even those connected to local authorities, is spared from the menace. This latest attack has also triggered renewed calls for stronger inter-state collaboration, intelligence sharing, and a more aggressive approach to confronting armed groups that move fluidly across borders.
Security observers note that peace deals without robust enforcement mechanisms often serve only as temporary pauses in hostilities. Without the ability to monitor compliance, punish breaches, and protect vulnerable communities, such agreements risk becoming tools for bandits to regroup, study security gaps, and strike when least expected. The situation at the Katsina–Kano border illustrates how fragile the arrangements have become, with communities bearing the brunt of promises that fail to materialize in practical terms.
As families in Yankamaye mourn their dead and pray for the safe return of their abducted relatives, the bigger question now looms larger than ever: What is the value of a peace agreement that cannot prevent continuous bloodshed? For residents who have lived through repeated betrayals, the answer feels increasingly obvious. Unless the peace deal is reinforced with action, collaboration, and a firm stance against armed criminality, it risks becoming another chapter in the catalogue of failed attempts to contain insecurity in northern Nigeria.
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