Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Unguwar Nagunda, Kankara Local Government Area, Katsina State — Armed bandits last night launched a violent attack on a wedding convoy arriving from Mabai in what residents describe as one of the most chilling assaults on a social event in the area. According to community sources, heavy gunfire erupted as guests approached the celebration, triggering widespread panic and forcing families into hiding.
Preliminary accounts indicate that at least two people were killed in the attack and several others were wounded, including the bride. Multiple wedding attendees were also reportedly abducted by the assailants, though as of this morning families and local leaders are still attempting to verify the exact number of those taken. Witnesses said the assault unfolded swiftly, with the gunmen emerging on motorcycles before dispersing into the surrounding terrain.
The incident has once again cast a stark light on the fragile security situation in parts of northwest Nigeria, where communities in Katsina State have been repeatedly targeted by armed bandits. It comes at a time when the Katsina State Government has been preparing to pardon 70 detained suspects believed to be linked to banditry, a move officials say is designed to consolidate peace and encourage more fighters to lay down arms following recent peace talks across several local government areas.
Critics and residents in areas such as Unguwar Nagunda and Mabai have expressed alarm that attacks, killings and abductions continue despite official claims of improved security. The perceived disconnect between government assurances and on‑the‑ground realities has heightened unease among villagers, business owners and families in frontier communities that have endured repeated incursions over the past years.
Banditry in Katsina — and the broader northwest region — has featured a pattern of violent raids on villages, kidnappings for ransom and ambushes of travellers. Security analysts say the groups typically exploit dense bush terrain and weak rural air cover, making them difficult to deter without sustained and comprehensive counter‑insurgency operations, including intelligence‑led ground patrols and community collaboration. Multiple previous incidents in the state have seen bandits target social gatherings, mosques and schools, with abducted victims ranging from children to adults.
The state’s police command, which has faced criticism for intermittent responses amid rising insecurity, had not immediately issued an official statement confirming casualty figures or providing an updated account of the attack at the time of reporting. Calls to senior security officials for comment were not answered as of this morning.
Community leaders and local vigilante groups have called for urgent reinforcement of security patrols and improved coordination with federal military assets to prevent further attacks, especially in vulnerable rural corridors where bandit groups have historically mounted ambushes. Families of the abducted are appealing for swift action to locate and secure the release of their loved ones.
The tragic wedding attack underscores the continuing cycle of violence and insecurity affecting everyday life in parts of northern Nigeria, even as government authorities pursue peace initiatives that critics say have yet to materially improve safety for many communities on the frontlines.
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