Katsina’s corridor of deaths

In a fresh wave of violence, bandits attacked two communities in Katsina State last weekend, killng six people and abducting 59 others. On Sunday night, around 10:30pm, armed bandits stormed Layin Gara village in Funtua Local Government Area, where they killed two residents and abducted 16 others. Locals said the attackers operated unchallenged for several […]

In a fresh wave of violence, bandits attacked two communities in Katsina State last weekend, killng six people and abducting 59 others.

On Sunday night, around 10:30pm, armed bandits stormed Layin Gara village in Funtua Local Government Area, where they killed two residents and abducted 16 others. Locals said the attackers operated unchallenged for several hours.

Just a day earlier, on Saturday, heavily armed bandits riding motorcycles invaded Maikuma village. They killed four people and abducted about 43 residents. Survivors said the assailants moved from house to house for hours before retreating into the forest with their captives.

The attacks are among several terrorist activities that communities along the Funtua-Kankara road in Katsina State have witnessed recently. Residents now describe the road as a death trap due to frequent bandits attacks.

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Between June 2024 and April 2025, many cases of killings and mass abductions have been reported along the corridor.

While some frontline local government areas previously plagued by banditry have experienced a reduction in attacks following peace deals with known kingpins, the Funtua-Kankara axis remains a hotspot for banditry.

Kankara shares a dense forest with Zamfara State, while Funtua, up to Faskari, borders Kaduna State. For a long time, communities situated along the forest edges in western Kankara have become a haven for bandits who operate with little or no resistance.

This same corridor, Kankara, was the site of the infamous abduction of over 200 schoolchildren in December 2020 — an incident that drew global outrage and condemnation.

 

Recent attacks in Kankara, Funtua, Faskari LGAs

In June 2024, armed bandits killed 26 people, including four police officers, during an attack on Gidan Boka village in Kankara LGA, Katsina State.

According to the police, the attackers stormed the village, killing 15 residents and injuring two others.

A police patrol team responding in an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was ambushed near Kurmeji village after initially heading in the wrong location.

The ambush led to a gunfight, resulting in the deaths of four officers—three inspectors and one corporal—as well as two members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps. While fleeing through Dan Nakwabo village, the bandits also killed five more people, bringing the total death toll to 26.

In January 2025, unidentified gunmen attacked the General Hospital in Kankara LGA, shooting a doctor and abducting five staff members, including Nurse Yusuf Mohammed Mairuwa.

His abduction sparked outrage from the Katsina State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, which threatened industrial action. Mairuwa was released after 45 days in captivity following a ransom payment.

Earlier, on December 8, 2024, police foiled two separate kidnapping attempts in Jibia and Faskari LGAs, rescuing 20 passengers.

In Jibia, gunmen ambushed a commercial vehicle on the Katsina-Magamar Jibia road, but officers repelled them in a gunfight, saving all 10 passengers.

A similar incident occurred the previous day along the Funtua-Gusau road, where another vehicle with 10 passengers was attacked.

 

We remain resolute in fight the against banditry – Govt

The Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Nasir Mu’azu, has reaffirmed the Dikko Radda administration’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding citizens from criminal elements.

In a statement on Wednesday, Dr Mu’azu announced the successful rescue of 10 kidnap victims—six women and four men—abducted from communities in Kiroro, Kabbi and Dogon Marke by armed bandits.

“Acting on credible intelligence provided by community members, a well-coordinated joint operation was carried out by the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (C-Watch) and the Nigeria Police Force in Musawa Local Government Area around 10pm on April 8, 2025,” the statement said.

“The operation, conducted in Gidan Marke, led to the neutralisation of one bandit and the safe rescue of all abducted victims, who have since been reunited with their families.

“This successful rescue underscores the growing effectiveness of community-based intelligence gathering and the strengthened collaboration among Katsina’s security agencies,” the statement added.

Dr Mu’azu emphasised that the government would sustain and intensify its offensive against criminal elements across the state.

“We will continue to deploy all necessary resources to ensure the safety and security of our communities,” he said.

He also urged citizens to keep supporting security efforts by providing timely and reliable information.

 

Why the surge in attacks

According to residents and observers, several factors have contributed to the recent surge in attacks. Daily Trust gathered that the absence of a peace agreement—such as those brokered in other local government areas—is a major reason.

Another key factor is the poor condition of the road, which was previously awarded for rehabilitation by the federal government before the contract was later cancelled.

Specific stretches of the road have been labelled by locals as danger zones or “death corridors,” particularly the Tudu-Marabar Dan-Ali and the Yargoje-Burdugau sections.

“Drivers should be extremely cautious on the road from Mararaba to Kankara, especially between Burdugau and Yargoje. These criminals often set up makeshift gates to trap vehicles,” a social media user posted alongside a photo of a vehicle attacked on the route.

“Some traders narrowly escaped, though two victims had to be taken to hospital. May Allah grant them healing. Ameen. We urge the relevant authorities to address the persistent attacks along this stretch,” the Facebook post added.

A resident of Kankara noted that many communities have lost hope, with some individuals even aligning with the criminals.

“I know of a man who used to do menial jobs like cutting firewood. Today, he has a motorcycle and a gun and is said to have killed a vigilante member from his village,” he said.

Another resident, speaking anonymously, said the criminals now target and execute individuals suspected of providing intelligence to security agencies.

“Most of the communities west of Kankara are effectively under bandits ontrol. Even domestic disputes are reported to them,” he said.

He recalled a case where a man who married a second wife was reported by the children of his first wife to the bandits.

“The bandit leader told the children that he has his own police and civil defence unit, and they should report such cases through them. Eventually, the man was ‘arrested’ by these so-called operatives, and he was fined N2 million for marrying a second wife against the wishes of his first,” he said.

A resident of Yargoje said while there was relative calm during the Ramadan, the situation has since worsened. As of the previous Sunday, bandits warned communities in western Kankara of renewed attacks due to the failure of peace efforts.

“On Sunday, there was an attack west of Yargoje that claimed two lives. That same day, a commercial vehicle was ambushed between Yargoje and Burdugau. Thankfully, there were no casualties, but the vehicle was shot at. Then on Tuesday night, around the same location, another commercial vehicle was attacked, leaving two traders injured,” he recounted.

He added that most of the communities west of Kankara have now been deserted, with only Dankumeji and a few others still populated.

He also said that the abandoned Funtua-Kankara road project has significantly worsened the security situation in the area.