Suspected bandits killed one resident and abducted 31 others, mostly women, after storming the Shuwaki community in Jargaba Ward, Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State. The attack occurred on Saturday night, August 1, 2026, and lasted for several hours.
The deceased was identified only as Ashiru Siyudi. The attackers also rustled an unspecified number of livestock and looted food items and other valuables before retreating into the bush with their captives, according to a report by Daily Trust.
Bandits operated door-to-door for hours
Eyewitnesses said the bandits arrived in large numbers after dark and exploited the cover of night to overpower the community. They fired shots sporadically and carried out door-to-door searches across homes, seizing animals, food and other valuables.
One resident, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said: “They spent almost the entire night in the village. They moved from one house to another, looking for animals, food and other valuables. They also abducted women and took them away.”
Another villager, Aminu Magaji, recounted how the assailants herded the kidnapped victims to the centre of the village before marching them into the bush. “They gathered the people they had abducted at the village centre and later took them away. We were helpless because the attackers were many and heavily armed,” Magaji said.
Security forces failed to respond promptly
A community leader, Guga Muhammad, said distress calls were made during the attack, but security personnel were unable to reach the community promptly due to fears of being ambushed along the route. “People called for help, but the security personnel were afraid of being ambushed. The attackers had already taken control of the area and were operating for hours,” Muhammad explained.
The security vacuum allowed the bandits to operate largely unchallenged for several hours, leaving residents in a state of shock and fear.
Displacement and deepening crisis
Garba Hassan Shuwaki, a former resident who had relocated to Bakori town following earlier attacks, said the incident reflects a deepening security crisis across northern Bakori. He noted that many families have abandoned their homes because of repeated raids, abductions, and the destruction of farming livelihoods.
The latest violence has intensified concerns about the safety of rural communities in Katsina State, which has been repeatedly hit by banditry and kidnapping for ransom.
Demands for coordinated response
Residents and community leaders are now calling for a coordinated security response involving the police, military, and community-based structures. They also want increased patrols on roads linking vulnerable settlements and stronger intelligence sharing between communities and security agencies to ensure faster responses to future attacks.
The people have appealed to the Katsina State Government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to treat the rescue of the abducted women as an urgent matter, warning that prolonged captivity puts the victims at further risk.
Police verifying report
The Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Sadik Aliyu, said he was still verifying the report and would release findings after the investigation was completed. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
The incident follows a pattern of similar raids in the region. In a separate attack, suspected bandits stormed Lajinge village in Sabon Birni LGA, Sokoto State, at around 11pm on Saturday and operated for over four hours. Six people were burnt alive after gunmen poured petrol on a room where residents had taken shelter and refused to come out. Residents said security personnel stationed just 2km away did not respond to repeated distress calls.
Another recent raid in Kasuwar Daji community in Kaura-Namoda LGA, Zamfara State, saw at least six soldiers killed after attackers overran a military outpost protecting the area. Former Deputy Speaker Hon. Namadi Kasuwar Daji confirmed the attack, saying residents were abducted to the bush.
