Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: L.Imafidon
Two civilians have reportedly been killed in separate incidents involving members of a local vigilante group identified by residents as the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Hayin Dantakiri village, Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina State, according to community sources who described rising tension in the area.
The incidents were said to have occurred on Friday, July 4, 2026, in Hayin Dantakiri and surrounding rural settlements in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina State, north-west Nigeria, during routine movements by residents along farming and trading routes.
Local sources said the victims were shot in different encounters while travelling within rural communities. The circumstances remain unverified, and there has been no official confirmation from security authorities at the time of reporting.
One of the deceased, Safiyanu Yusuf, was described as a truck driver and farmer who had previously fled insecurity in Raddawa, Matazu Local Government Area, before relocating to Dutsin-Ma for safety. Residents said he travelled by motorcycle to his farmland in the Raddawa wetlands and was returning home when he allegedly encountered members of the vigilante group.
Eyewitnesses claimed gunshots were heard shortly after the encounter, and Safiyanu was later found critically wounded beside his burning motorcycle. Community members said he died while efforts were being made to assist him, although the exact sequence of events remains unclear.
A second victim, identified as Malam Usman Gangule, a grain trader, was also reportedly shot in a separate incident the same day while passing through Dantakiri on his way back to Gangule village in Matazu Local Government Area. Residents said his motorcycle was also set ablaze.
Community members described both men as civilians engaged in farming and trading activities, insisting they were not linked to criminal activity. They alleged that vigilante operatives in the area had recently increased stop-and-search operations, sometimes targeting displaced persons who had moved into the area due to insecurity in neighbouring communities.
The incident reportedly triggered panic across Hayin Dantakiri, with residents fleeing their homes shortly after the shootings. Some witnesses alleged that members of the vigilante group abandoned their post following the incident, though this has not been independently verified.
Authorities in Katsina State have yet to issue an official statement on the matter, and no arrests or investigations have been publicly confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
The Civilian Joint Task Force, which operates in support of security agencies in several parts of northern Nigeria, has played a key role in community defence against armed groups but has also faced recurring allegations of abuse in some locations.
Residents have called for calm and urged authorities to investigate the incident thoroughly, stressing the need for accountability and clearer operational guidelines for informal security actors operating within civilian communities.
As investigations remain pending, the full circumstances surrounding the deaths are yet to be established, while tensions continue in the affected communities.
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