Gunmen kill two and kidnap six in Katsina

Two people were killed and six others taken away in Unguwar Aminu, Kandarawa Ward of Bakori Local Government Area, Katsina State.

Four other residents were shot during the attack, which happened on Tuesday night, a report from Daily Trust said.

The victims were identified as Ibrahim Sama’ila and Mashakuru Isa. Their bodies were buried following Islamic customs on Wednesday morning.

Among those kidnapped were three men and three women. The four injured residents were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The attackers also stole livestock and looted shops, taking cash, mobile phones, and other valuables.

Residents told Daily Trust that the gunmen were seen moving east from Doma in Faskari Local Government Area before they vanished and later showed up in Unguwar Aminu.

PREMIUM TIMES has not confirmed the death toll and number of kidnappings.

This attack adds to several others on communities in Bakori since late July. Some of these attacks have led to deaths, mass kidnappings, livestock theft, and people fleeing their homes.

It is also the second attack reported in Kandarawa Ward in less than three weeks.

On July 24, suspected bandits struck Unguwar Dangida in Kandarawa Ward and Gangaren Makurdi in neighboring Jargaba Ward.

One person was killed in Unguwar Dangida, while livestock was stolen from both areas, according to a report from PREMIUM TIMES on August 3.

The recent violence follows a clash between suspected bandits and security forces in Guga, another Bakori community, on July 26.

The Katsina State Government reported that over 200 armed men attacked Guga around 5:40 p.m. in what they called a revenge attack.

In a statement about the Guga attack, the government said joint security forces killed over 40 suspected bandits, including their leaders, while five hunters died in the fight.

The government later said that calm had returned to the affected areas.

But attacks kept happening in nearby communities in the days after.

On July 31, bandits attacked Unguwar Dogo and Alhazawa, also called Gidan Nagari. One resident was badly hurt, and animals and property were taken.

Many residents fled Unguwar Dogo, some going to Bakori and Funtua towns, while others sought safety in nearby communities, according to an earlier report from PREMIUM TIMES.

The next night, August 1, armed men invaded Shuwaki in Jargaba Ward, killing one person, injuring at least seven others, and kidnapping 32 residents.

One woman who was sick and could not continue the journey was later set free, leaving 31 people in captivity at the time PREMIUM TIMES reported the incident. Most of the captives were women, some with babies.

Aminu Magaji, a former chairman of Bakori Local Government Area, told JBC Hausa after the Shuwaki attack that police, soldiers, and members of the Katsina Community Watch Corps tried to stop the attackers but could not.

Mr Magaji said security forces went to the site in at least five vehicles.

"The security personnel went there and made every effort, but they could not overpower them and stop them from taking the people away," he said.

It was not clear where the 31 residents who remained captive after the Shuwaki attack were held.

Other attacks noted by PREMIUM TIMES included a raid on July 25 in Rawul, Kurami/Yankwani Ward, where two brothers were killed, and nine residents, including eight women, were taken.

PREMIUM TIMES could not confirm the death and kidnapping numbers from all the incidents reported by community sources.

The ongoing attacks in Kandarawa, Jargaba, Kurami/Yankwani, and nearby areas raise concerns about armed groups moving through the region despite recent security actions.

There is no solid proof that the same group did all the attacks or that they used the same route.

But the reports of multiple attacks nearby, along with the latest news that the Unguwar Aminu attackers were seen around Doma in neighboring Faskari LGA, raise questions about the routes used by the armed groups and how much security measures have slowed them down.

This latest raid adds six more victims to the already heavy burden of kidnappings in Bakori communities.

It is still unclear if security forces responded during the Unguwar Aminu attack, if the attackers were chased after leaving, or if any of the six kidnapped residents had been rescued.

Repeated attacks have also hurt farming and other ways of making a living in the area.

After the Shuwaki attack, Mr Magaji said that theft of livestock had left farmers without cattle they usually need for farming, forcing them to work by hand.

He warned that if the attacks continue, more people might leave their homes.

"If they attack one village today and displace it, they move to another village tomorrow," he said.

"If nothing is done, people will leave this entire area and abandon their communities."