Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Tragedy struck the Gurbi community in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State on Sunday evening, April 26, 2026, as heavily armed bandits launched a deadly assault, killing more than 10 residents and injuring several others. Witnesses told reporters that the attackers, who arrived on motorcycles, opened fire indiscriminately on civilians who were attempting to flee the scene. The assailants reportedly operated for hours without immediate resistance, and security forces only arrived after significant casualties had already been recorded.
The attack is the latest in a wave of violence that has plagued Katsina State, one of the worst-hit states in Nigeria's North-West banditry crisis. According to a local resident who spoke on condition of anonymity, the bandits stormed the farming community around 6:00 p.m., shooting sporadically and chasing down anyone who tried to escape. The dead include men, women, and children, although precise figures are yet to be officially released. Injured victims were rushed to the Kankara General Hospital, where medical staff struggled to cope with the influx of casualties.
The Katsina State Police Command has not yet issued an official statement on the attack, but a police source confirmed that a team has been deployed to the area to restore calm and pursue the fleeing attackers. The source added that the bandits are believed to have retreated into the nearby Rugu Forest, a known hideout for criminal gangs operating across the borders of Katsina, Zamfara, and Kaduna states.
The attack on Gurbi comes just 24 hours after bandits issued threats that forced hundreds of residents of Garangozai and Mai Jimina communities in Malumfashi LGA to flee their homes. The coordinated nature of the recent attacks suggests a strategic push by armed groups to test the defences of rural communities and overwhelm security agencies.
Residents of Gurbi have appealed to the federal and state governments for urgent military intervention, lamenting that the absence of a permanent security post in the area has left them vulnerable to repeated attacks. Community leaders have also called for the establishment of a forward operating base in Kankara LGA, which has witnessed several mass abductions and killings over the past year.
As of the time of this report, the death toll may rise as some of the injured are in critical condition. Emergency response teams are still evacuating the wounded, while funeral prayers are being arranged for the deceased. The state government has not announced any compensation or relief package for the affected families.
This latest bloodshed underscores the escalating insecurity in northern Nigeria, where rural communities have become battlegrounds between armed bandits and under-resourced security forces. Despite repeated promises of reform, the attackers continue to operate with impunity, leaving behind trails of death and displacement.
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