Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A pre‑dawn ambush on a top political figure in Katsina State has once again exposed the fragility of security on the region’s major highways. In the early hours of Friday, 1 May 2026, Hon. Hamza Mamman Sheme, the Katsina State APC Youth Leader, was returning home along the Kankara–Sheme road when he came under attack by a group of armed bandits.
The assailants, who are suspected to be part of the criminal networks that have long terrorised the North‑West, reportedly intercepted his vehicle, robbed him of all his mobile phones, a large sum of cash and even his clothing, before fleeing into the surrounding bush. Sheme, a prominent political figure in the state, survived the harrowing encounter.
The attack, which occurred around 5:00 a.m., sent shockwaves through the political class and the wider community.
A close aide to the youth leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Sheme had been travelling alone when his vehicle was flagged down. “He was dispossessed of his phones, all the money he was carrying, and even his clothes. They left him in the bush. He had to walk to the nearest village to raise an alarm,” the source said. The bandits, believed to be in large numbers, operated for several minutes before retreating.
The Katsina State Police Command confirmed the incident on Saturday, 2 May 2026. The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, said the command has launched a full‑scale investigation and is intensifying patrols on the Kankara–Sheme road. “We are aware of the unfortunate incident involving the APC youth leader. Our men have been deployed to the area, and we are working with other security agencies to track down the perpetrators,” Aliyu stated. He added that no suspects have been arrested yet, but the police are following up on leads.
The Kankara–Sheme road has a notorious history of bandit attacks. On 13 January 2026, one person was killed in an attack on Jaga village along the same route. In February 2025, the Nigerian Army engaged bandits in a fierce gun duel near the same corridor, rescuing kidnapped victims and recovering weapons. In September 2025, the convoy of a senior military officer was ambushed at Ruwan Godiya crossing point along the Sheme–Kankara road, leaving two soldiers wounded. The road, which connects Kankara town to Sheme and further to other parts of Katsina and Zamfara states, has become a high‑risk route for travellers.
The attack has reignited debates about the effectiveness of the peace deals brokered between some local government areas and bandit groups. While the Katsina State Government has defended the agreements as a means to reduce violence, critics argue that the deals have not translated into safety for commuters and political figures.
The state’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Muazu, had earlier outlined conditions of the peace deals, including allowing bandits access to markets, hospitals, and freedom of movement. However, residents and road users say such concessions have not stopped attacks on major highways.
“If a prominent APC youth leader can be robbed and stripped in the early hours of the morning, what hope is there for ordinary citizens?” asked a resident of Kankara, who declined to be named. “The government keeps talking about peace deals, but the roads are still death traps.” The sentiment is widely shared across the state, where commercial drivers and traders have repeatedly called for the deployment of more security personnel on major highways.
The incident also raises questions about the safety of political figures as the 2027 election cycle gathers momentum. Hon. Hamza Mamman Sheme is a key mobiliser for the APC in Katsina State, and his survival has been hailed by party members as a miracle. Governor Dikko Umar Radda, who has not yet issued a personal statement on the attack, has previously reiterated his administration’s commitment to eradicating banditry. In a press release, the state government condemned the attack and promised to support the youth leader in his recovery.
As of Saturday evening, Sheme was reportedly recuperating at an undisclosed location. He has not spoken publicly about the ordeal, but associates say he is deeply traumatised. The police, meanwhile, are appealing to the public for any information that could lead to the arrest of the attackers.
The Kankara–Sheme road, like many others in the North‑West, remains a stark reminder of the security vacuum that has left both ordinary citizens and high‑profile individuals vulnerable to criminal gangs. And with the planting season underway, farmers and traders who depend on these road networks fear that the attack on the APC youth leader may signal yet another spike in highway banditry.
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