A fresh wave of attacks by bandits has led to the death of three innocent villagers with several others injured in communities within Shanono and Tsanyawa Local Government Areas of Kano State
According to reports, the emerging security threat follows series of incursions by bandits from Katsina State, who have been unleashing untold terror on Kano communities sharing borders with the neighbouring state.
Narrating their terrible experience with the bandits, one resident of Tsanyawa Local Government Area, who preferred anonymity, informed reporters that the attack took place late on Friday when about 20 bandits invaded Yanganau village in Tsanyawa area of Kano.
He said the criminal elements, suspected to have crossed over from the Kogari village of Katsina, later moved into Shanono communities, where they killed three people following a fierce encounter with the joint security task force on patrol in the area
Confirming the disturbing development, one of the community leaders, Professor Muhammed Dauda, told journalists on Saturday that residents of three communities in Shanono Local Government Area can no longer sleep or go about their daily businesses in peace due to the deadly activities of the bandits.
Prof Dauda, an indigene of Kuraku village in the Faruruwa community of Shanono Local Government Area, expressed concern over the escalating attacks by the bandits despite interventions from both the security agencies and the local vigilantes.
He listed Goron Dutse, Makama, and Tsaure areas near Faruruwa as communities mostly traumatized by the growing insecurity arising from the bandits whose base is suspected to be in neighbouring Katsina State.
Lamenting the dire situation faced by the various communities, Prof Dauda said, “We thought the presence of soldiers, civil defence, and other para-military forces, including the JTF, would solve the issue, but it is still the same. It is like we are challenging them.
“As I’m talking to you, in the last three days, we have suffered attacks in places like Unguwar Tsamiya, Yaudari, and Yan Ganau. People have been killed and some abducted, including women.”
Further amplifying the people’s worries, he said, “Our people now sleep elsewhere for fear of attack; they’ve abandoned their homes. Some who fled to urban centres cannot return.
“We are urging the President and the new military leadership to critically review this situation and secure our borders with Katsina.
“Gwarzo and Tsanyawa are also in serious danger because of their proximity to Katsina. The Kano State Governor must take this matter seriously and ensure the borders are properly secured. If urgent action is not taken, the bandits will eventually penetrate deeper into Kano.”
The development comes on the heels of a recent statement by the Kano State Police Command announcing the arrest of two suspected bandit leaders who have been terrorizing Shanono Local Government Area for a long time now.
The Command said the successful operations follow an intensive raid by its operatives acting on the alarm raised by Chairman of the Shanono Community Security Committee, Alhaji Yahaya Umar Bagobir, who reported the killing of seven people and the rustling of about 70 cows in communities under Shanono.
In his report, Bagobir revealed that the bandits had kidnapped 10 residents and extorted over ₦15 million in ransom from the predominantly Fulani communities within the local government.
The Kano State House of Assembly at Tuesday’s plenary moved to address the security challenges with two of its members, Dr Ali Lawan Kiyawa, representing Shanono stats Constituency, and Garba Ya’u Gwarmai, representing Ghari/Tsanyawa Constituency, urging relevant security agencies to intensify efforts at protecting the affected communities from further attacks by criminal gangs.
