At least 11 people, including a local security operative and a pregnant woman, have been killed following a fresh attack by suspected bandits on farming communities in Katsina State.
The attack reportedly occurred on Sunday in the Gidan Wawu and Gidan Sarkin Noma communities located in Bakori Local Government Area, as residents returned from the weekly Guga market ahead of the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
According to community sources, the armed attackers stormed the villages around 4 p.m., killing residents, burning homes, destroying property and rustling livestock before fleeing the area.
Among those killed was Mujitafa Nuhu, popularly known as “Officer,” a member of the Katsina Security Watch Corps, a local security outfit supporting conventional security agencies in the state.
Residents also confirmed that an unidentified pregnant woman was among the victims.
Community members reportedly recovered the bodies and transported them to the Guga Primary Healthcare Centre, where funeral prayers were conducted before burial on Monday morning.
Locals expressed frustration over the alleged absence of security personnel and government officials during the burial rites, accusing authorities of failing to adequately respond to repeated attacks in the area.
Residents said communities in Guga Ward have suffered several recent attacks involving killings, kidnappings, cattle rustling and destruction of property, worsening fears among rural farmers already facing displacement and economic hardship.
