Armed bandits have once again struck in Katsina State, killing two respected community leaders and abducting several residents despite a recent peace deal with local authorities.
The attack happened late Thursday night in Doguwar Dorawa, a farming village near Guga in Bakori Local Government Area.
Witnesses said the assailants arrived around 10 p.m., riding motorcycles. They reportedly parked the bikes inside the bush and trekked quietly into the village to avoid detection before unleashing terror.
According to locals, the gunmen killed two brothers — Alhaji Bishir and Alhaji Surajo — in cold blood, looted homes, and kidnapped several villagers.
Community elder Mahadi Danbinta Guga confirmed the killings, describing the attack as a brutal violation of the peace accord recently signed between residents and armed groups.
Residents said the operation lasted for over an hour without any security response. They added that the attackers looted food items, cash, and livestock before retreating into the forest.
Locals identified the attackers as loyalists of Idi Abasu Aiki and Kwashen Garwa, two notorious bandit leaders who operate across Bakori and nearby areas.
While Doguwar Dorawa was under siege, another nearby village, Layin ‘Yannehu, was attacked simultaneously. In that raid, the bandits reportedly rustled dozens of animals and burned down several huts.
Recent weeks have seen a surge in similar attacks in Ganjar, Alhazawa, and Gidan Nagari, where over 40 villagers have been abducted and hundreds displaced.
Despite these repeated assaults, neither the Katsina State Government nor the Bakori Local Government Council has issued any official statement about the latest killings.
Last month, officials in Bakori, Malumfashi, and Funtua local government areas had signed a peace agreement with bandit leaders. The deal was aimed at ending killings, abductions, and cattle rustling across the region.
However, Thursday’s deadly assault suggests that the fragile peace accord is already collapsing, reigniting fears among residents who say they no longer trust promises made by armed groups.
Many villagers are now fleeing to neighboring communities, fearing further retaliation from the armed gangs.
Residents are calling on the Katsina State Government and federal security agencies to strengthen patrols, restore confidence, and protect farming communities that have endured years of violence.
The attack adds to the growing number of bandit-related killings in Nigeria’s North-West, where thousands have been displaced and hundreds killed despite repeated peace talks.
