4 Killed, 12 Kidnapped As Bandits Attack Katsina Communities Despite Peace Deal

At least four people have been killed and no fewer than 12 others abducted by terrorists in renewed attacks on communities in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.

It was gathered that the latest attacks occurred on Friday night when heavily armed bandits stormed Dan Nakwabo and Madobai villages, despite assurances that a peace deal had reduced hostilities in the troubled local government area.

According to local sources and a Katsina-based security expert, Malam Bakatsine, the gunmen emerged at about 9:00 p.m., firing sporadically as they moved through the two rural communities, spreading fear and panic among residents.

In Dan Nakwabo village, the attackers reportedly killed two people, a man and a woman, identified as children of a well-known local businessman, Alhaji Dan Azimi. The assailants also abducted two other residents during the raid.

In neighbouring Madobai village, no deaths were recorded, but four residents were kidnapped in what locals described as a coordinated operation carried out by the same group of bandits. 

However, the attackers were said to have operated freely for several minutes without any immediate resistance before retreating into nearby forests.

Residents described the attacks as sudden and terrifying, with families fleeing into the bush or locking themselves indoors as gunshots rang out across the villages.

By Saturday morning, the victims killed in Dan Nakwabo were buried according to Islamic rites amid grief and anger in the community.

Meanwhile, a resident said the incident had completely shattered the little sense of safety people believed had returned following talks between bandits and authorities.

Beyond the Friday night attacks, it was further gathered that the death toll across Kankara communities had risen to four in recent days, with at least 12 people abducted in multiple bandit-related incidents.

Kankara Local Government Area remains one of the most volatile parts of Katsina State, having suffered repeated attacks involving killings, mass abductions of students, cattle rustling and the displacement of rural communities over the years. 

While authorities have at various times announced peace initiatives and negotiations with armed groups, residents say violence continues largely unchecked.

SaharaReporters previously reported that fresh controversy had broken out in Katsina State following the surfacing of an official document indicating that the state government initiated steps to secure the release of dozens of suspected bandits currently facing criminal trials.

The document, a letter dated January 2, 2026, and classified as “SECRET,” was issued by the Katsina State Ministry of Justice and addressed to the Chief Judge of the state.

It shows that the ministry 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, Esq., the letter disclosed that a list containing the names of 48 individuals accused of various banditry-related offences had been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice by the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.

According to the letter, the proposed release of the suspects is aimed at “facilitating their release from detention, as one of the conditions precedent for the continuance of the peace accord deal signed between the frontline Local Governments and the bandits.”

The Ministry of Justice further revealed that while a handful of the suspects had been arraigned before the Federal High Court, most remained in detention awaiting trial at various Magistrate Courts across Katsina State.

The letter also disclosed that a separate list of about 22 inmates currently facing trial before different High Courts in the state was submitted, with the aim of having them released under the same peace arrangement.

The Ministry urged the Chief Judge to take “necessary action,” arguing that the matter falls within the statutory powers of the Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee under Section 371(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Katsina State, 2021.

The state government later confirmed the document and explained that its decision to initiate the release of 70 individuals suspected of involvement in banditry was aimed at sustaining ongoing peace agreements with armed groups operating in the state.

Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Muazu, said the measure was intended to consolidate accords reached between affected communities and repentant bandits across multiple local government areas.

He noted that the broader peace deal, covering at least 15 local government areas, had already resulted in the release of about 1,000 people abducted during bandit attacks.