Two Feared Dead, Wedding Guests Abducted as Bandits Attack Convoy in Katsina

Suspected bandits have attacked a wedding convoy in Unguwar Nagunda community, Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing no fewer than two persons.
Several others, including the bride, sustained injuries during the assault.
The incident, which reportedly occurred on Sunday night, also saw an undisclosed number of wedding guests abducted by the attackers.

A security source disclosed on Monday that residents of the community were thrown into panic following heavy gunfire as the bandits stormed the area.
“As of this morning, families are still trying to ascertain the exact number of people taken away by the attackers,” the source said.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the Katsina State Police Command were unsuccessful. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, did not respond to calls or text messages sent to him as of the time this report was filed.
The attack comes amid ongoing controversy over the Katsina State Government’s plan to release 70 detained suspected bandits as part of efforts to sustain what it described as an “existing peace” agreement between affected communities and repentant bandits.
The state government had earlier claimed that the peace deal resulted in the release of at least 1,000 persons previously held captive by bandits across the state, adding that such strategies are commonly adopted in conflict situations worldwide.
On January 2, 2026, a confidential letter surfaced outlining the government’s plan to secure the release of suspected bandits currently facing prosecution for banditry-related offences.
The letter, marked “SECRET,” was issued by the Ministry of Justice and addressed to the Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Musa Abubakar.
Through the letter, the Ministry of Justice requested the intervention of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) to facilitate the release of the detained suspects.
Signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Abdur-Rahman Umar, the letter revealed that a list containing the names of 48 individuals accused of various banditry offences had been forwarded to the ministry by the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.
According to the document, the proposed release was intended to serve as one of the conditions for the continuation of the peace accord reached between frontline local government areas and bandit groups.
The government further disclosed that while some of the suspects were already standing trial before the Federal High Court, others remained in custody awaiting trial at various magistrates’ courts across the state.
Umar also noted that an additional list of about 22 inmates facing trial before different high courts in the state had been submitted, requesting their release under the same peace arrangement and urging the Chief Judge to take the necessary action.