Bandits Shoot Father, Son, Rustle Livestock In Katsina Community

Bandits invaded Hayin Kwanta village in Sukuntuni Ward of Kankia Local Government Area of Katsina State on Sunday night, shooting two persons and rustling livestock.

Daily Trust gathered that the attackers, who arrived on motorcycles, stormed the village at about sunset, firing sporadically and causing panic among residents.

Many of the residents were said to have fled into nearby bushes to escape being killed or abducted.

The two victims injured during the attack were identified as Abashe and his son, who sustained gunshot wounds, while trying to flee from the assailants.

Sources in the community said the victims were later evacuated to a hospital in the Katsina metropolis, where they are currently receiving treatment.

Eyewitnesses told Daily Trust that the gunmen operated freely in the village for some hours without any immediate confrontation from security personnel despite repeated distress calls made by residents to relevant authorities.

A resident of the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, for fear of reprisal, said the villagers were left helpless as the attackers moved from one part of the community to another, shooting into the air and gathering livestock before escaping.

“We kept calling for help, but nobody came on time. People ran into the bush with their children while the bandits continued operating. They took away many animals and left the entire village terrified,” the resident said.

The exact number of rustled animals could not be independently confirmed as of the time of filing this report, but locals said several households lost cattle, goats, and sheep during the raid.

Although the Katsina State Government had earlier introduced the Community Security Watch Corps and strengthened collaboration with local vigilante groups to support conventional security agencies, residents of Southern Kankia said attacks by bandits have continued unabated in recent months.

Hayin Kwanta and neighbouring communities in Sukuntuni Ward have reportedly remained vulnerable to attacks for more than two years, with villagers repeatedly raising concerns over inadequate security presence in the area.

Residents said the recurring attacks have negatively affected farming activities, livestock rearing, and normal social life, as many people now live in constant fear of possible bandit invasions.

Community leaders are now appealing to both the federal and state governments to deploy additional security personnel and establish permanent security outposts in vulnerable communities across Kankia Local Government Area.

They also called for intensified surveillance and rapid response mechanisms to enable security agencies to respond swiftly to distress calls from rural communities under attack.

However, the Katsina State Police Command’s public relations officer, DSP Sadiq Aliyu, assured that police operatives, in collaboration with other security agencies, are trailing the perpetrators with a view to apprehending and prosecuting them.(daily trust)