Five nursing mothers were reportedly abducted on Sunday night when bandits attacked Shanono communities in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State. The assault also saw the criminals cart away livestock and other valuables.
The incident occurred barely a week after troops of the 3 Brigade, Nigerian Army, repelled another invasion that left 19 bandits dead.
A source said one of the abducted women narrowly escaped, revealing that the attackers disposed of the babies before taking the nursing mothers to an undisclosed location.
Community leader Yahya Bagobiri from Faruruwa village confirmed that five women were missing and several livestock were stolen. He lamented that despite the presence of military personnel and other security agencies, banditry in the Fulani-dominated areas “is getting out of hand.”
According to him, the bandits, who rode on motorcycles, stormed Yan Kwada village on Sunday night, dispossessing villagers of their belongings and forcing many to flee. He said the area has remained deserted as a result of repeated attacks.
Efforts to contact military spokesperson Captain Babatunde Zubairu for comments were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, Catholic leaders and community groups in Southern Taraba have raised concerns over renewed violence and killings allegedly carried out by armed herders in communities under the Catholic Diocese of Wukari.
The Director of Social Communications, Rev. Fr. John Laikel, described the situation as devastating, saying several rural parishes had been abandoned after persistent attacks that claimed multiple lives and destroyed villages. He accused the attackers of killing residents, burning homes, and grazing on victims’ farmlands.
Laikel urged federal, state, and local governments to act swiftly to protect citizens, noting that some of the affected communities are near military operational bases in Takum Local Government Area.
Similarly, Rev. Fr. George Dogo of the Holy Family Catholic Church, Takum, expressed frustration over the “indifference” of security agencies despite repeated warnings about impending attacks.
The Taraba Tiv Youth Development Forum also condemned the renewed hostilities in a statement signed by its President, Torkuma Lupet Moses, and Secretary, Uko Moses Wuaga. The group said over 1,000 families had been displaced and properties worth millions of naira destroyed since the resurgence of violence last week.
They urged Governor Agbu Kefas to deploy more security personnel to Chanchanji Ward in Takum, while calling on the Federal Government and international partners to include Taraba in the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) to address herder-farmer conflicts.
In a related development, farmers in Zamfara and Sokoto states have decried harassment and illegal levies imposed by bandits during the harvest season.
The farmers lamented that the criminals have introduced “harvest taxes,” demanding payment in cash or crops before they are allowed to harvest their produce. Some farmers said bandits had created checkpoints to collect the levies and punish those unable to comply.
A farmer from Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, who requested anonymity, said, “We are living under a parallel authority. The bandits dictate when we can go to our farms.”
Reports from Isa, Sabon Birni, and Goronyo areas of Sokoto State confirmed similar conditions, with communities deserted and farmlands abandoned, leading to food shortages and rising prices.
The farmers appealed to the Federal Government to secure rural areas before harvest losses worsen the food crisis.
“Without protection, our efforts are wasted. We may face famine despite having good rains,” a farmer from Bakura, Zamfara State, warned.
