Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Katsina State — Armed bandits launched a deadly assault last night on the Kauran Fawa and Unguwar Jika communities in Dandume Local Government Area, killing and abducting several residents and plunging the area into grief, fear and uncertainty. The brutal attack comes despite recent peace agreements between local stakeholders and armed groups — pacts that were meant to protect lives and restore calm but have clearly failed to deliver tangible security on the ground.
According to security sources and eyewitnesses, the raiders struck under cover of darkness, overwhelming villagers and carrying out violence that left families mourning loved ones and anxiously awaiting news of those seized. The scale of the assault has deepened a sense of betrayal among residents, many of whom had hoped that negotiated peace would bring an end to relentless banditry in the area.
The attack in Dandume follows a pattern of recurring violence in Katsina State that has plagued rural areas for years despite repeated peace initiatives. Official data compiled in January 2026 show that security accords with armed groups have not resulted in sustained improvements, with fatalities from bandit attacks increasing sharply and peace deals often being undermined by renewed criminal activity.
Local leaders said the assault was carried out by heavily armed gunmen who swept into Kauran Fawa and Unguwar Jika, firing indiscriminately and dragging people from their homes and compounds. Survivors described scenes of chaos as families fled into surrounding bushland, leaving possessions behind as they sought safety. Many of those abducted include men, women and young adults, although specific casualty figures and an accurate tally of hostages have not yet been released by authorities.
The attack once again underscores the limitations of negotiated truces with outlawed armed groups amid broader insecurity in northwest Nigeria, where banditry has inflicted widespread suffering on rural populations. Katsina State is among the most affected, with communities repeatedly targeted in ambushes, raids and kidnappings, and where official peace accords have often been overtaken by shifting criminal dynamics.
For many residents of the affected communities, the latest violence has eroded trust in local peace mechanisms. “We were told a peace deal was meant to protect us,” one resident said, speaking on condition of anonymity for safety reasons. “But tonight, the gunmen still came. We don’t feel safe anywhere.”
The attack has also revived calls for stronger government intervention and a reassessment of the strategies being used to address banditry, including more robust security deployments, community protection measures and accelerated operations to dismantle criminal networks. Security analysts argue that while peace agreements can be useful, they must be accompanied by effective enforcement and accountability to prevent armed groups from exploiting negotiations as cover for regrouping or expanding their activities.
The latest violence follows other high‑profile incidents in the state’s ongoing security crisis. In past months, communities such as Mantau have suffered devastating reprisal attacks by criminal elements, with scores killed during worship services and homes burned, prompting deployments of extra security forces in response.
As relatives continue to search for missing loved ones and cope with the trauma of loss, local authorities have yet to release an official casualty list. Meanwhile, residents and civil society advocates are urging state and federal governments to redouble efforts to protect vulnerable communities and deliver on promises of lasting peace.
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