24 Killed as Bandits Strike Multiple Communities in Katsina’s Kankara LGA

By WorldWire Security Desk | June 19, 2025

At least 24 people, including 20 farmers, three residents, and a community security operative, have been killed in a series of coordinated attacks by armed bandits in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, according to multiple local sources.

The attacks, which occurred across several villages over the past week, have left the region reeling under intensified insecurity, further highlighting the fragile nature of peace efforts in northwestern Nigeria.

Wave of Attacks Across Farmlands and Villages

A resident of the area, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told Daily Trust that the first wave of violence took place six days ago in the communities of Yargoje, Kwakware, Danmarke, Gidan Dawa, and Burdugau.

“They killed about 20 farmers, kidnapped several others, and rustled livestock used for farming,” the source said.

These attacks primarily targeted farmers tending their fields, triggering mass fear and disrupting early planting season activities.

Security Operatives and Civilians Targeted in Marmara

On Monday, June 17, another attack struck Marmara village, where bandits reportedly engaged a joint force of the Community Watch Corps (C'watch) and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF). One C’watch operative was confirmed dead, while two CJTF members sustained injuries during the ambush just outside the village perimeter.

The same night, the attackers infiltrated Marmara, killing three residents and abducting an undisclosed number of others. Livestock was again reported stolen.

Further Abductions and Rustling in Eastern Communities

Later that night, the assailants extended their raid to communities east of Kwakware, where several people were abducted and animals taken. Residents now fear that the violence could escalate further, particularly as the rainy season fuels rural mobility and farming activity.

Locals Question Incomplete Peace Deals

According to another resident of Kankara, the renewed wave of violence may be tied to partial peace agreements brokered in neighboring local government areas.

“So long as there are peace accords in some LGAs and not others, the bandits will exploit the gaps and strike in areas not covered by the truce,” he explained.

Security Implications and Community Trauma

These repeated attacks are part of a broader pattern of rural violence that continues to undermine food security, displace farming communities, and test the capacity of local security architecture. The community watch corps largely volunteer-led remains under-equipped compared to the sophisticated weapons used by attackers.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly urged for coordinated state and federal intervention, the establishment of regional peace frameworks, and the bolstering of intelligence-led operations to prevent future massacres.

Conclusion

As Katsina continues to bear the brunt of rural banditry, the latest Kankara killings serve as a grim reminder that partial security solutions cannot stop cross-border violence. Until peace efforts are unified and security operatives are strengthened, communities remain exposed to further devastation.