At least two persons died following a protest in the Danjanku, Dantashi, and Dayi communities of Malumfashi Local Government Area in Katsina State.
The protest followed a fresh bandit attack on Monday that left one person dead and 17 others abducted, despite an existing peace deal between the criminals and the government. Residents said Monday night's attack was the third in less than a week, bringing the total number of abductions in the affected areas to over 30.
Eyewitnesses reported that bandits stormed Danjanku around midnight, scaling fences to enter homes before abducting residents and killing one individual.
Angered by the incident, youths took to the streets Tuesday morning, blocking the Funtua-Katsina highway to protest the ongoing attacks and what they described as the government's failure to secure the area.
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The initially peaceful protest reportedly turned violent when security personnel arrived to disperse the crowd, allegedly killing two protesters and injuring two others during the confrontation. Residents of Dantashi and Dayi later joined in solidarity, blocking roads and burning tires to express their frustration over the worsening insecurity.
Calm was eventually restored following intervention by traditional rulers and community elders.
The Village Head of Danjanku, Tanimu Almakiyayi, confirmed the attack. "They came last night, killed one of our people, and abducted several others. We are living in fear here," he said.
A security source also confirmed the incident, stating, "The bandits invaded Danjanku last night, abducting 17 people and killing one in the process."
Residents accused the deployed soldiers of shooting the two protesters dead and injuring two others. Attempts to reach the Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
Locals noted that Malumfashi and neighboring Bakori areas continue to face renewed attacks despite the peace deal. "They still tax us to harvest our farm produce. Even after paying, there's no guarantee we can farm or move freely," one resident lamented.
Another added, "The bandits attacked two days ago, abducted people, and returned last night. That's why the youths protested. Instead of calming the situation, the soldiers started shooting."
Residents accused both the state government and security agencies of abandoning them, saying the peace agreement has failed to protect rural communities.
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Policeman killed in Bakori attack
Relatedly, there was another attack on a Fulani settlement behind the Bakori Local Government Secretariat. Daily Trust learned that one policeman was killed, two others were wounded, while about nine suspected bandits were neutralized in the process. Unspecified numbers of animals were rustled. A combined team of military, police, and vigilantes responded swiftly to the attackers.
