Seven people were killed on Thursday when bandits attacked Sayaya community in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Two police officers also lost their lives during an operation to rescue kidnapped victims in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The attacks happened amid worsening insecurity across the country, with armed groups carrying out frequent assaults on communities in different regions.

For years, communities across Katsina State have endured persistent bandit attacks marked by killings, kidnappings, cattle rustling and the destruction of livelihoods.

Farmers now fear going to their farms, traders and motorists avoid major roads and families remain worried about their safety.

One of the recent incidents was the abduction and death in captivity of retired Major General Abubakar Rabe. He was abducted alongside his wife, Hajiya Amina, in Matazu LGA on May 30. She was rescued a few days after her husband’s death. The incident sparked public outrage and renewed calls on both state and federal governments to intensify efforts to end banditry.

Residents said security personnel were deployed to Matazu and neighbouring communities after the incident to strengthen security.

However, they alleged that Thursday’s attack on Sayaya community occurred shortly after troops were withdrawn.

Witnesses said the attackers invaded the community in the early hours of Thursday, firing sporadically and causing panic as residents fled their homes.

“We were asleep when we heard heavy gunfire. People were screaming, children were crying, and everyone was running in different directions.

“By the time the gunmen left, seven of our people were lying dead,” a resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told Daily Trust.

Residents said the victims included farmers and traders who had hoped to return to normal life after weeks of relative calm.

Locals alleged that the attack was led by a notorious bandit kingpin, Kachallah Muhammad Fulani, whose name has long been linked to deadly raids and abductions across Matazu and neighbouring communities.

“This is the same man who has terrorised our villages for years. He was the one who abducted Major General Rabe and his wife. Anytime we hear his name, we know trouble is coming,” another resident, Alaramma Jibrin, said.

Residents said the attackers returned almost immediately after the soldiers left.

“When the soldiers were here, we could sleep peacefully. But once they left, the bandits came back with more aggression. It feels like we have been abandoned,” a community elder said.

Residents further alleged that the same group recently blocked the Karaduwa–Rimaye road in broad daylight, abducting travellers and assaulting others.

“They stopped vehicles on the road as if it were their territory. People were beaten, some were taken away, and nobody could help,” a commuter, Sulaiman Sale Sayaya, said.

In Matazu town, grief engulfed the community as mourners gathered to bury the victims according to Islamic rites. Families struggled to come to terms with the tragedy.

“This is not just a tragedy for Sayaya; it is a tragedy for the entire local government. We have lost innocent lives, and this pain will remain with us for a long time,” a community leader said.

Many families reportedly fled Sayaya community for safer locations in Matazu town and neighbouring areas.

“We cannot stay and wait to be killed. At least in town, we can sleep without hearing gunshots,” a displaced woman said while relocating with her children.

“Our farms are there, but our lives are more important. If we go to the bush, we may not return,” ,” a farmer said.

Residents appealed to the state and federal governments to take urgent and sustained action, warning that temporary deployments and short-term operations would not bring lasting peace.

“We do not want temporary peace. We want a permanent solution. We want to live without fear. We want our children to sleep at home, not run for their lives,” a community leader said.

When contacted, the Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, said the command had yet to verify the incident and promised to provide an update.

However, as of the time of filing this report, no further response had been received.

Also, several phone calls and text messages sent to the Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasiru Mu’azu Danmusa, were neither answered nor acknowledged as of press time.

Police rescue 9 kidnap victims, lose 2 officers in Kaduna

Meanwhile, nine kidnapped victims were rescued by security operatives in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State after an operation that forced suspected bandits to abandon their captives and flee into the bush.

However, two police officers were killed in an ambush allegedly carried out by the fleeing criminals.

The Kaduna State Police Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesman, DSP Mansir Hassan.

According to the statement, the victims were abducted on Wednesday from their farms around Unguwan Sa’idu village, located a few kilometres from Birnin Gwari town.

The command said credible intelligence received at about 12:45pm indicated that about 15 armed bandits, wielding sophisticated weapons, were operating in the area and had taken several people hostage.

Following the report, the Area Commander of Birnin Gwari and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) mobilised patrol teams, including personnel of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) and the Kaduna Vigilance Service (KADVIS), and moved to the scene to rescue the victims.

Police said the operatives encountered the bandits on arrival and engaged them in a gun battle, forcing the criminals to flee on motorcycles into the surrounding bush.

“The team launched a hot pursuit, forcing the criminals to abandon their captives and flee for safety,” the statement said.

The rescued victims were identified as Hudu Rabiu, 31; Yusuf Sagir, 20; Sagir Rabiu, 17; Muhammad Kabir, 23; Kabir Lawal, 20; Idris Abubakar, 17; Mustapha Zayyanu, 18; Kabiru Rabiu, 18; and Usman Lawal, 18.

According to the command, the victims were found tied with ropes and abandoned by their abductors during the chase. They were rescued unharmed and later reunited with their families.

The police, however, said tragedy struck while the operatives were returning from the operation.

It said suspected bandits, believed to have laid an ambush along the route, opened fire on the security team, leaving two officers with fatal gunshot wounds. The officers later died in the line of duty, the command said.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna, Rabiu Muhammad, commiserated with the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased officers.

He described their sacrifice as a testament to the courage, dedication and selflessness of security personnel who risk their lives daily to protect citizens.

The commissioner said the command would continue to honour the memory of the fallen officers and remain committed to tackling insecurity across the state.

He added that investigations and tactical operations were ongoing to track down the attackers and bring them to justice.

Attacks persist after Gen. Rabe’s abduction – Residents

Residents of Kankia, Musawa and Matazu local government areas say bandits have resumed attacks with renewed intensity since the abduction of retired Major General Abubakar Rabe and his wife, spreading fear across rural communities.

Many residents blamed the worsening security situation on the withdrawal of military personnel from parts of the affected areas, saying vulnerable communities have once again been exposed to deadly attacks by armed groups.

According to residents, bandits loyal to notorious kingpin Kachallah Muhammad recently carried out attacks on several communities, including a Fulani settlement located a few kilometres from Matazu town, where two people were killed.

The residents said the attack shattered the brief period of calm that followed the deployment of security personnel after the abduction of the retired army general.

“We were still enjoying a period of relative peace when the gunmen struck again. They came in large numbers, shooting sporadically. Two people were killed instantly, and everyone ran for safety,” a community member told Daily Trust.

Residents also alleged that the attackers moved from house to house, threatening villagers, flogging some residents and carting away food items and livestock.

“They treated us as if we had no value. They told us nobody could protect us anymore. That message alone has left deep psychological wounds in this community,” another resident said.

Locals said the violence also spread to neighbouring Kankia Local Government Area, where bandits reportedly attacked farmers preparing their farmlands with machines.

It was gathered that the attackers were searching for fuel to power their motorcycles following the Katsina State Government’s restriction on the sale of petrol in jerry cans.

Farmers said the measure, though aimed at disrupting bandits’ operations, has also created difficulties for rural residents who depend on fuel-powered equipment for farming.

“Going to buy fuel has become a life-and-death journey. You risk encountering bandits on the road, but you cannot farm without fuel because many of us now use machines,” a farmer in Kankia said.

Another farmer expressed disappointment over what he described as the premature withdrawal of troops.

“We thought the operation would continue until all terrorist enclaves and their collaborators were eliminated. But now it appears the soldiers have left, and fear, killings, abductions and terror have returned,” he said.