Three Killed, Many Injured as Bandits Attack Yankamaye Community in Kano State

Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.

Gunmen believed to be bandits launched a deadly assault on Yankamaye community in Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State on Monday night, May 11, 2026, killing three residents and leaving several others injured in a brazen attack that has heightened fears over escalating insecurity in border communities.

The attackers, numbering over 30 and riding on motorcycles, stormed the village around 8 p.m., firing gunshots indiscriminately at people and homes according to multiple residents who spoke with newsmen. The assailants were said to have crossed from the neighbouring Rimaye community in Katsina State, exploiting the porous border between the two states to carry out the raid.

A member of the House of Representatives representing Ghari and Tsanyawa Federal Constituency, Engr. Sani Bala, confirmed the incident in a statement, revealing that three bodies had been recovered following the attack. "As at the time of this update, three people have been confirmed dead," the lawmaker said, expressing concern over the worsening security situation in the area.

One resident, Saifullahi Sorodaya, told reporters that many villagers were forced to flee their homes after the hoodlums began shooting continuously across the community. "The attackers entered the town shooting without stopping, and people had no option but to run for their dear lives," he recounted. Another resident, Madahuru Ibrahim, explained that several other residents sustained injuries during the attack and were rushed to a hospital for urgent medical attention.

The assault was the second time the community had been attacked within five months. A former Vice Chairman of Tsanyawa Local Government Council, Ado Haladu Yankamaye, told other reporters that during an earlier invasion, bandits kidnapped four women and killed one resident. He lamented that the community did not get immediate security intervention because of its remote distance from the local government headquarters.

"The attackers stormed the town on motorcycles, divided themselves into different corners, and shot sporadically. It was God who saved us. Most of the victims were killed while trying to run away. They didn't kidnap anyone," Yankamaye said. "Security personnel are still moving into the town, but people remain apprehensive. Many did not sleep there last night due to fear."

The former vice chairman noted that the victims, all men, were buried Tuesday morning in accordance with Islamic rites. "All those killed were men, some with as many as 10 children. Only one of them was a youth who was not yet married," he said. He called on the Kano State government to provide adequate security to the area, noting that most of the bandits cross from neighbouring Katsina State.

Another resident, speaking anonymously, disclosed that the gunmen arrived on about 12 motorcycles, each carrying three armed men. "They crossed from Rimaye in Katsina and started shooting in the town before they were eventually overpowered. People have gradually started returning to their homes after fleeing," the resident said.

Yankamaye, a border community between Kano and Katsina, has suffered repeated bandit attacks, especially over the past year. The attack occurred less than a week after suspected bandits, also believed to have crossed from Katsina, killed one resident and rustled more than 300 cattle in Mainika village of Gwarzo Local Government Area, another border community in Kano State.

The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed the attack and added that teams of policemen and the Joint Task Force (JTF) had been deployed to the area for the arrest of the culprits. However, as of the time of filing this report, no official statement had been released by any other security agency in the state, and efforts to contact the police spokesman were unsuccessful as his mobile phone did not connect.

Following the attack, a mass burial was held for the victims on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. Hundreds of mourners, including relatives and community members, gathered to offer prayers and support to bereaved families. Islamic clerics led supplications for the repose of the souls of the deceased, asking Allah to forgive their shortcomings, shower them with mercy, and grant them eternal rest.

Residents who spoke during the burial expressed shock over the scale of the attack, lamenting the persistent threat posed by armed bandits in the area and the psychological toll on affected families. Community leaders called on security agencies to intensify efforts at combating banditry and improve security presence in vulnerable communities to forestall future attacks. They also appealed to government at all levels to take urgent steps to strengthen protection for rural settlements frequently targeted by criminal gangs.

Yankamaye, a border settlement between Kano and Katsina states, has repeatedly suffered raids by bandits over the past year. The attack has further heightened fears among residents, who noted that the remote location of the community often leaves them exposed whenever attacks occur, as security response is delayed due to the distance from the local government headquarters.

The repeated attacks have intensified concerns over deteriorating security across border communities in northern Nigeria, where armed gangs continue to raid villages, kill residents, abduct victims, and steal livestock with little resistance. Many residents of Yankamaye and neighbouring communities had in 2025 experienced several bandit attacks, usually from neighbouring Katsina State, and the pattern appears to be continuing into 2026.

As of the time of filing this report, the Kano State Police Command and the military had not issued further updates on the arrest of the perpetrators or the recovery of any stolen property. The community remains on edge, with many residents still fearful of returning to their homes after fleeing during the attack. The three families who lost loved ones are now left to mourn, while the injured continue to receive treatment in hospitals.

The attack serves as a grim reminder that insecurity in northern Nigeria is not confined to the North‑West or North‑East alone but is steadily creeping into states that were once considered relatively safe. For the people of Yankamaye, the question remains: when will the government do enough to protect them from bandits who cross borders at will and strike without warning?

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