At least two residents were killed yesterday night after suspected bandits attacked Kwatangiri community in Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State, triggering fresh concerns over security and the effectiveness of recent peace efforts.
The attack, which occurred late in the night, also led to the looting of valuables from homes, leaving many families counting their losses amid heightened fear.
Locals described the assault as sudden and overwhelming, with little to no security presence at the time of the incident.
The development was disclosed on Friday by security analyst Bakatsine, who shared details of the incident on his X (formerly Twitter) page.
According to the report, residents said the attackers operated freely for hours, exploiting what they described as weak security coverage in the area.
Moreover, the incident has reignited debate within the community over the recent peace agreement reportedly reached between Funtua LGA officials and bandit groups.
Residents questioned how such an attack could occur so soon after assurances of improved safety.
“This attack raises serious questions about the sincerity and enforcement of the so-called peace deal,” a resident said.
“People are scared, and many feel abandoned as there was no immediate security response.”
Furthermore, community members are demanding concrete measures to protect rural settlements, insisting that dialogue with armed groups must be backed by visible and sustained security operations.
Katsina State has remained one of the flashpoints of banditry in the North-West, with repeated attacks on rural communities despite ongoing negotiations and military operations aimed at restoring peace.
Hence, residents of Kwatangiri are urging authorities to move beyond agreements on paper and demonstrate commitment through actionable security deployments to prevent further loss of lives.