No fewer than 10 persons have been killed, with several others injured, in a terror attack on Gurbi, Kankara Local Council of Katsina State. The terrorists stormed the community on Sunday afternoon, shooting sporadically, but were repelled by vigilantes and armed locals who prevented them from entering the community, residents told journalists.
Gurbi, an agrarian and business community in Kankara, shares boundaries with several vulnerable communities within the Tsafe area in Zamfara State. A youth leader in the community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: "The bandits began shooting before reaching the community. The moment our vigilante members heard gunshots, they went outside the community to engage the bandits." He added: "Afraid of the unknown, several people ran out of their houses to escape being trapped. When the bandits saw our people running out, they followed them and started shooting them."
A health worker in the community, also speaking anonymously, said some victims were killed at close range. "I think some of the residents ran into the bandits while fleeing, and they were cruelly shot," he said. When contacted, the police spokesperson, Abubakar-Sadiq Aliyu, said he would revert.
Islamic School Attack in Kogi
In a separate incident, terrorists invaded Daarul Kitab, an Islamic school and orphanage, kidnapping 24 pupils and two relatives of the proprietor. They stormed the facility along NNPC Road, Kabba Junction in Zariagi, a suburb of Lokoja, around 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, according to a statement by Kogi police spokesperson Saliu Afusat. She said the attackers abducted 26 persons, including 24 pupils and two wives of proprietor Mohammed Tajudeen.
A joint security team comprising police, military, and other agencies was immediately deployed. The team rescued 17 pupils. Afusat said the Commissioner of Police, Naziru Kankarofi, visited the scene and ordered additional tactical teams to intensify bush-combing, surveillance, and intelligence gathering. No group has claimed responsibility, but The Guardian understands the area is saturated with violent actors, including criminal bandits and members of Ansaru, a Boko Haram breakaway faction.
The state government confirmed the incident, describing the facility as operating without regulatory oversight in a vulnerable, isolated area. Commissioner for Information and Communications Kingsley Fanwo said: "The facility was operating illegally in a remote, bushy environment without registration with the state government and without the knowledge of relevant authorities and security agencies." He warned operators against setting up schools in isolated locations without proper authorization.
Pastor and Family Killed in Plateau
In a related development, gunmen attacked Gako Village in Riyom council area of Plateau State on Sunday night, killing a pastor and three family members. The victims were Reverend Ayuba Choji, his wife Chundung Ayuba, and their two children, Cyril Ayuba and Endurance Ayuba. Sources said the assailants stormed the village at about 11:00 p.m. and opened fire indiscriminately. Resident Martha Dalyop said the attack left communities in fear, with many unable to sleep in their homes or tend to their farms.
Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youths Moulder-Association, Rwang Tengwong, said the attackers targeted relaxation spots, farming communities, and local vigilantes. He disclosed that a large expanse of farmland had been destroyed in Kassa, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, including cabbage, hot pepper, and maize farms.
Adamawa Attack Condemned
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri condemned the killing of 29 people in coordinated attacks in Guyaku community of Gombi Local Government Area, Adamawa State, on Sunday evening. He paid a condolence visit to assess damage, describing the incident as inhumane and senseless. Fintiri reassured residents of the government's commitment to protecting life and property, noting that security personnel have taken control and are working to restore peace. He urged the public to provide credible information and remain calm.
Earlier, the Kumo of Gombi, Ali B. Agray, briefed the governor, revealing that attackers stormed Guyaku Primary School during a football match and opened fire, causing chaos, before burning vehicles and other properties. They later set a church ablaze. Twenty-nine people were confirmed dead in Guyaku One, comprising 28 men and one woman, with six others injured.
HURIWA Condemns Peace Deals
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) condemned ongoing negotiations and amnesty arrangements between some northern state governments and armed terrorists, declaring such actions a direct violation of counterterrorism laws and a betrayal of the people. HURIWA warned that any governor or official involved in negotiating with terrorists is legitimizing criminality and undermining state sovereignty.
National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko stated: "You cannot appease terrorists. Every kobo given, every concession made, is converted into more sophisticated weapons and more organized violence against innocent Nigerians. What is unfolding is the emergence of parallel governments, terrorist enclaves where the authority of the Nigerian state has completely collapsed." HURIWA called on the Federal Government to take immediate action, warning that continued inaction risks further erosion of national security.
