Fresh violence has rocked Gidan Sarki community in Tuge Ward of Musawa Local Government Area, Katsina State, after armed attackers swept through the area in a deadly overnight raid that left several people dead and many others missing.
Residents said the assailants, commonly referred to as bandits, struck with force, shooting sporadically and abducting more than 20 villagers while also driving away large numbers of livestock, a key source of livelihood for the agrarian community.
Moreover, the attack triggered a wave of displacement, forcing families to flee in panic.
Women, children and elderly residents were seen seeking refuge in nearby forests, graveyards and abandoned structures, as fear of a follow-up assault spread across neighbouring settlements.
A community leader, who spoke under anonymity, said the violence shattered recent assurances of calm.
“People believed the worst was over, but what happened here shows that our lives are still hanging by a thread,” he said.
Meanwhile, the security alert platform Bakatsine confirmed the incident, noting that the assault occurred despite a reported peace understanding between local stakeholders and armed groups operating within Musawa axis.
According to the platform, the development highlights the growing collapse of such arrangements.
However, the true scale of casualties remains unclear.
Access to the affected area has been difficult, and many residents are still on the run, making independent verification challenging as of the time of reporting.
Community members have openly questioned the value of peace deals that fail to protect civilians.
“If agreements cannot stop killings and abductions, then something is clearly wrong with the strategy,” another resident said.
Hence, the Gidan Sarki attack adds to a troubling pattern across Katsina State, where banditry, mass kidnappings and deadly raids have persisted despite repeated claims of improved security.
As of press time, neither the Katsina State government nor the police had issued an official response on the incident or the fate of those abducted.