Residents of Tsakuwa, Yarmarka, and Doma villages of Bakori local government area of Katsina State protested the reported killing of 20 villagers by suspected bandits in their communities.

An impeccable source said the villages were invaded by armed attackers who sacked the entire population, forcing hundreds to flee their homes.

The deadly assaults triggered a massive protest in Funtua and Bakori towns, where residents blocked major roads and demanded immediate government action.

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According to the source who is also a resident of Bakori, the protest lasted for over five hours, leading to the disruption of economic activities and drew the attention of local authorities.

Speaking on the incident, Chairman of Bakori LGA, Alhaji Abubakar Musa, confirmed the protest but denied reports of fatalities.

"There was indeed a protest by residents, and we understand their frustrations. However, I'm not aware of any loss of life in all the happenings.

The chairman who spoke through his aide, added that the government has begun providing relief materials to the displaced residents and that normalcy was gradually returning to the affected communities.

Security agencies have also been deployed to the area to forestall further attacks and restore public confidence.

Similarly, in Mai Ruwa community of Faskari local government area of the state, nine people were reportedly kidnapped last Thursday.

According to a source, the hoodlums also rustled some animals the following day on Friday from the same community.