Bandits Attack Community Security Team in Katsina, Many Reported Killed

Bandits launched a deadly attack on a joint team of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (CWC) and vigilante members in Baure village, Safana Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State, leaving at least 21 people dead.

According to reports, the attack occurred on January 7, 2025, around 4:30 PM, as the security team was reportedly returning from a condolence visit. The Katsina State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, confirmed the incident and described the attack as “dastardly.”

Sadly, twenty-one people were fatally shot as a result of the attack,” DSP Sadiq said.

While police reports indicated that the joint security team was returning from a condolence visit, a resident of Baure village disputed this account.

Speaking to Punch, the resident claimed the team had gone to confront the bandits, who have maintained control over Baure and other areas in Safana LGA.

Bandits regularly come to the market, and the joint security team was there to confront the hoodlums. I’m repeating, they were not on a condolence visit. Unfortunately for them, the bandits overpowered them because they had been informed that the joint security team would be coming and had reinforced their numbers. This is why the casualties were massive. Many were killed, and many more were injured. The number of dead exceeds 20, the resident told Punch.

He alleged that the bandits had prior knowledge of the security team’s arrival and reinforced their numbers, leading to the devastating loss of lives.

In a separate report earlier, Villages in the Tsafe West area of Zamfara State were asked to pay ‘a levy of up to ₦172.7 million’ by gunmen reportedly led by notorious bandit leader Danisuhu. The illegal levy also includes demands for in-kind contributions such as bags of soybeans and threats of violence against non-compliant residents.

In June 2024, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal faulted the state judiciary for granting bail to some suspected bandit leaders arrested with weapons and brought for trial before the court.

According to Lawal, the suspected bandit leaders were released upon orders from influential individuals in Abuja, who he claimed had been communicating with the bandit leaders.

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