At least 16 residents have been feared killed and several others declared missing following a deadly attack by bandits on Kiliya community near Bagagadi in Dutsinma Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The attack reportedly occurred on Friday shortly after residents had concluded Juma’at prayers and were gathered in groups to relax and celebrate the Eid festivities.
A resident who survived the attack told newsmen that panic broke out when armed men riding motorcycles stormed the community.
According to him, villagers attempted to flee after sighting the attackers, but the gunmen ordered them to stop before opening fire indiscriminately on residents.
“After the Friday prayers, we were sitting together with other villagers. I had just bought a bowl of local drink when the bandits arrived. I saw two of them on a motorcycle. People started running and they told us not to run, but suddenly they began shooting,” he recounted.
The survivor said he managed to escape with a local drinks vendor and hid inside a nearby house as gunshots echoed across the village.
“The boy and I ran into a house and hid. While in hiding, we heard screams and gunshots everywhere. After some minutes, the shooting stopped. When we came out, we found the lifeless bodies of about 16 people, including some of my uncles and cousins,” he added.
He further disclosed that more than 400 residents have since fled the community, seeking refuge in neighbouring Bagagadi and Radda villages, while several others remain unaccounted for.
According to him, some victims were reportedly killed on their farms, with bodies later discovered in farmlands surrounding the village.
A 14-year-old eyewitness also narrated how the attack unfolded, saying the first motorcycle carrying gunmen arrived before additional attackers joined them and began shooting indiscriminately.
A resident of nearby Bagagadi village confirmed that dozens of displaced persons, mostly women and children, are currently sheltering in his home following the attack.
Sources within the area suggested that the assault may have been a reprisal attack linked to the recent killing of two suspected bandits by villagers.
“From the nature of this attack, it appears to be a reprisal attack because a few days ago, two bandits were killed, and reports indicated that they belonged to a notorious gang. Perhaps that is why they came to the village and carried out this attack,” a source said.
When contacted, the spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, said the incident had not yet been officially reported to the command but assured that inquiries would be made once details reached the police authorities.
The attack adds to growing security concerns in Katsina State and other parts of the North-West, where communities continue to face recurring attacks by armed groups despite ongoing security operations.
