Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The heart-wrenching testimony of a Katsina State woman has laid bare the brutal reality of life in Nigeria's North-West, as she recounted how bandits killed her husband and one of her children before abducting five others, including a 19-month-old baby, during a devastating attack on her community. The survivor, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed, gave her account during a town hall meeting organised by NewsCentral TV on Thursday, 9 July 2026, where victims, survivors, and other stakeholders affected by insecurity gathered to discuss the escalating crisis and explore possible solutions.
Recounting the incident, the woman said the attack occurred as families were preparing for evening prayers, with the assailants storming the local mosque and opening fire on worshippers. "It was nearly prayer time. We were preparing for the mosque, and our husbands were all in the mosque. They came to the mosque and started shooting at our husbands. Some of them died, while some of them ran away," she said. The attack then spread to residential homes, where the survivor's worst nightmare unfolded. She told the gathering that one of her children ran to her for protection when the attackers arrived at their home, but the bandits eventually killed the child despite her desperate efforts to save him.
"They met my boy, and he ran to me. He said I should help him hide. I was trying to help him hide when they came inside the house. When they came inside the house, they were all wearing black. I was helping him to climb up, and they told me to leave him alone. I said I would not leave him alone, and then they said I had to leave him alone. After I saved him, after I helped him climb up, they shot him twice," she recounted, her voice trembling with grief. She then delivered the devastating conclusion: "When they shot him twice, they killed my husband and my child. Then they went away with five of my children, including a 19-month-old baby."
The attack, which occurred in a rural community in Katsina State, is part of a broader wave of violence that has engulfed the North-West, where armed bandits have terrorised communities through killings, kidnappings, cattle rustling, and the destruction of livelihoods. Another resident who spoke at the event said repeated bandit attacks had forced many communities to become deserted, with families displaced and several people killed. "Terrible things have happened in our communities because some of the nearby village communities have become empty. There are no people and no children," he said. The resident added that one community recorded massive casualties during the period of banditry, with nearly 100 people killed.
The town hall meeting also featured discussions on the relationship between mining activities and insecurity in the state. A miner, Sani Hamisu, said miners operating around communities affected by banditry had also suffered because many mining locations had become inaccessible due to security threats. He said mining activities almost stopped because operators could not go close to those areas. He, however, denied allegations that miners were being sponsored to fuel insecurity.
The sheer brutality of the attack has sparked fierce criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration from civil society groups and regional stakeholders. Security analysts argue that the Federal Government has lost its grip on the country's internal security crisis because its attention has shifted entirely from governance to raw politics ahead of the 2027 general elections. Local community leaders warn that unless the presidency stops treating national security as a secondary concern, more families will be torn apart.
As the grieving widow struggles to come to terms with the loss of her husband and child, and the abduction of five others, her story serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of the banditry crisis that continues to ravage communities across northern Nigeria. For the thousands of families living in fear, the question remains: how many more must suffer before meaningful action is taken to restore peace and security to their lands?
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