Gunmen in Nigeria’s northwestern Katsina state have once again struck, leaving a trail of death and destruction in their wake. At least 25 people have been killed and others abducted in the latest attack on the village of Yargoje in Kankara.
According to authorities, dozens of gunmen on motorbikes stormed the village late on Sunday, shooting indiscriminately, looting shops, and abducting villagers. The state commissioner for security affairs, Nasiru Babangida Mu’azu, described the situation as dire, with residents reporting that more than 50 people have been killed and many more injured.
One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted the horror of the attack, saying, “They killed children, women, and men, and kidnapped a huge amount of people. Our town has turned into a death zone.”
Survivors are now left to pick up the pieces and try to determine the full extent of the tragedy. This latest incident is just one in a series of attacks by armed gangs in the region, with authorities seemingly unable to stem the tide of violence.
In December 2020, over 300 pupils were kidnapped from a boys’ secondary boarding school in Kankara, only to be later freed after negotiations with the kidnappers. And in March of this year, dozens of passengers were abducted in a brazen daylight attack in the same area.
The people of Katsina state are once again left reeling from the senseless violence that has become all too common in their communities. As the government and security forces struggle to bring an end to the insecurity, residents are left to mourn the loss of their loved ones and pray for a brighter future.
