Residents of Tuge Ward in Musawa Local Government Area of Katsina State have raised alarm over fresh waves of bandit incursions, saying the situation has worsened despite a peace accord recently struck between community leaders and Fulani representatives.
Community members expressed frustration that armed bandits now move freely into villages, harassing residents and carting away valuables without resistance. They noted that before the peace deal, locals kept weapons for self-defense but had laid them down in the hope of lasting peace.
“Now, we feel like captives in our own homes, as these armed men come and go at will,” a resident lamented.
This was contained in a statement shared by security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, on Thursday.
On Sunday, September 14, bandits stormed Tuge village and abducted two people. Similar attacks were reported in Danjanku Karachi and Gin-gin wards, where more residents were kidnapped.
Eyewitnesses further alleged that on Monday, September 15, gunmen on motorcycles brought abductees into Tuge in broad daylight, demanded fuel, and seized the phone of the fuel seller. On their way out, they reportedly intercepted a trader from Tsabe village, dispossessing him of his motorcycle, phone, and newly purchased shop items.
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The villagers questioned whether the peace pact had genuinely promoted harmony or merely emboldened the bandits to intensify their attacks.
“We are not challenging the wisdom of our leaders who negotiated the accord, because we believe they acted with good intentions.
However, it has not yielded the desired result. We therefore call on them to revisit the terms and clarify if the peace agreement is still in force, so that our people know where they stand,” the residents stated.
They further appealed to the Katsina State Government and security agencies to urgently intervene and provide lasting protection against further attacks.