Bandits Attack Katsina Community on New Year Day, Kill Three Residents Despite Reported Peace Deal, Raising Fresh Security Concerns in Northwest Nigeria

Suspected bandits launched a deadly early-morning attack on Unguwar Naino community in Na’alma ward of Malumfashi Local Government Area, Katsina State, on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2026, killing at least three residents and injuring several others. The assault occurred barely days after a reported peace agreement in the area, shattering hopes of an end to recurring violence.

Local sources said the attackers stormed the community at dawn, firing sporadically and forcing residents to flee their homes in panic. The injured were rushed to nearby health facilities for treatment, while fear spread across surrounding villages. The attack was first reported publicly by Katsina-based social media commentator @DanKatsna50, who questioned the effectiveness of peace deals without sustained security presence and intelligence-led operations.

Katsina State remains one of the epicentres of banditry in Nigeria’s northwest, with rural communities frequently targeted despite repeated negotiations and peace initiatives with armed groups. The latest incident has reignited public debate over the viability of peace agreements in the absence of consistent security operations and long-term strategies to protect vulnerable communities.

Efforts by SaharaReporters to obtain a response from the Katsina State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, neither answered calls nor responded to messages seeking official reaction to the attack.

Nigeria Arrests Notorious Drug Supplier Linked to Banditry in Niger State as NDLEA Seizes Over 470kg of Cannabis in Nationwide Crackdown

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a notorious drug supplier, Mohammed Sani, also known as Gamboli, accused of supplying illicit drugs to armed bandits terrorising communities in Niger State. The 33-year-old suspect was apprehended in Shiroro Local Government Area after weeks of intelligence-led surveillance, weeks after evading an earlier raid where officers recovered 471.8 kilograms of skunk. The arrest formed part of a sweeping nationwide operation that led to multiple drug seizures and arrests across several states, highlighting NDLEA’s intensified efforts to cut off drug supplies fueling terrorism and banditry in Nigeria

Bandits Attack Ekiti Community, Engage Security in Gunfight as All Kidnap Victims Are Rescued

Armed bandits raided the Gaa Fulani community in Iye-Mero, Ikole LGA of Ekiti State on Wednesday evening, abducting residents and looting valuables. The attackers were intercepted by local security operatives and soldiers, leading to a prolonged gunfight across the Ekiti–Kwara–Kogi forest corridor. The bandits eventually abandoned all kidnapped victims and fled. The attack occurred amid rising tensions in nearby Kogi State, where protests over insecurity earlier resulted in the deaths of two youths after security forces reportedly opened fire.


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Revealed: The Hidden Story of Banditry in Nigeria
From new tactics like chemical sprays to mass kidnappings, communities are under siege. See how residents and vigilantes are fighting back.
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