Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Suspected bandits reportedly attacked Kogari community in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State, abducting five people, including the village head, Bello Abdulkadir Kogari, his wife, his daughter, his sister, and another woman from the community. The attack, which occurred on the night of Tuesday, May 12, 2026, has intensified fear among residents of a region already plagued by persistent insecurity and recurring kidnappings.
Details of the incident remain scarce as of Wednesday morning, with local security forces yet to issue an official statement. However, community sources told Stone Reporters News that the armed men invaded the village under the cover of darkness, moving directly to the residence of the village head before seizing the five victims and escaping into the bush. The identity of the fifth abducted woman, a neighbour, has not been released.
The abduction of Bello Abdulkadir Kogari, a respected community leader, is particularly significant, as village heads in rural Katsina often serve as the primary link between residents and security agencies. His removal from the community is expected to further undermine local governance structures already weakened by years of bandit attacks.
The Kogari community lies in Matazu LGA, an area that has become a flashpoint for banditry in recent months. Just one day before the Kogari abduction, on May 11, 2026, bandits attacked the nearby Yankamaye community, killing five residents and abducting several others in an attack that lasted two hours. On May 10, 2026, troops of Sector 2 Joint Task Force, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, neutralised three terrorists and recovered 175 livestock in Matazu, Musawa, and Kankia LGAs. On May 4, 2026, the Katsina State Police Command confirmed that 11 persons were killed in a reprisal attack on Kankia communities, with the violence traced back to a bandit leader named Mohammadu Fulani. On April 5, 2026, suspected bandits blocked the Karadua–Musawa Road in Matazu LGA and shot two passengers dead.
The community lies in the volatile borderlands between Katsina and Kano states, an area where bandits have repeatedly exploited forest cover and porous boundaries to launch attacks. In November 2025, bandits crossing from Kogari into Kano's Shanono communities killed three residents and kidnapped several women, prompting villagers to abandon their homes for fear of further attacks. The pattern has been clear for years, but decisive action has remained elusive.
As of press time, the Katsina State Police Command had not issued a statement on the Kogari abduction, and no group had claimed responsibility. Residents have launched informal search efforts but lack the resources to track armed criminals into the forest. The family of the village head has appealed for prayers and government intervention.
The abduction in Kogari is the latest in a series of brazen attacks that have devastated rural communities. The question residents are asking is no longer whether the government will act, but when. For the families of the five abducted persons, time is measured not in days but in the silence of a phone that has not rung, and the absence of footsteps that have not returned home.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments