Fresh Terror in Bakori as Gunmen Kidnap 31, Loot Community

One person has been confirmed dead while about 31 residents, mostly women, were abducted after suspected bandits attacked Shuwaki community in Jargaba Ward of Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The victim was identified as Ashiru Siyudi. Residents said the heavily armed attackers invaded the village on Saturday night, operating for several hours during which they rustled an unspecified number of livestock and carted away food items and other valuables.
Eyewitnesses said the gunmen moved from house to house under the cover of darkness, firing sporadically, assaulting residents and searching homes for livestock, food and valuables.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said the attackers overwhelmed the community due to their large number.
“They spent almost the entire night in the village, moving from one house to another in search of animals, food and other valuables. They also abducted many women before fleeing into the bush,” the source said.
Another resident, Aminu Magaji, said panic engulfed the community as the attackers fired intermittently while carrying out the assault. According to him, the abducted victims were assembled at the centre of the village before being marched into the forest.
“They gathered all those they abducted in one place before taking them away. We were helpless because they were heavily armed and outnumbered us,” he said.
A former resident of the community, who relocated to Bakori town because of persistent insecurity, described the latest attack as another indication of the worsening security situation in northern Bakori. He said repeated attacks, kidnappings and destruction of livelihoods had forced many families to abandon their ancestral homes.
“I relocated because life had become unbearable. People can no longer sleep peacefully. The attacks are becoming too frequent and residents now live in constant fear,” he said.
A community leader disclosed that residents repeatedly contacted security agencies during the attack, but help did not arrive in time. According to him, security operatives were reportedly concerned about the possibility of an ambush while responding to the distress calls.
“People cried for help throughout the night, but the attackers had already taken control of the area and operated for several hours,” he said.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over security in northern Bakori, where residents say communities continue to experience repeated attacks despite an earlier peace agreement reportedly reached with some armed groups operating in the area.
Residents argued that the recurring attacks have eroded public confidence in the peace initiative, leaving farming communities increasingly vulnerable. The incident occurred barely one week after suspected bandits attacked neighbouring Guga community, also in Bakori Local Government Area, killing members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and the Community Watch Corps.
Community leaders called on the Federal Government, the Katsina State Government and security agencies to adopt a more coordinated security strategy involving the military, police and community-based security outfits to curb the persistent attacks. They also urged authorities to intensify patrols on major and feeder roads linking vulnerable communities, strengthen intelligence gathering and improve emergency response to distress calls.
Residents expressed particular concern over the fate of the abducted women and appealed to security agencies to intensify rescue efforts to secure their safe release. They warned that the continued attacks and displacement were crippling farming, trade and other economic activities in the area, urging the Federal Government to prioritise the protection of lives and property in rural communities.