By Umar Babangida
Armed banditry appears to be resurfacing barely a week after the Katsina State Government disclosed plans to release 70 suspected armed bandits as part of an ongoing negotiation process.
The development, which gained traction across social media platforms, has sparked intense public debate nationwide over claims that the state government intends to free 70 armed bandits earlier arrested in connection with insecurity across the state.
While authorities have maintained that peace has largely stabilised following the negotiation process, findings indicate that even during the dialogue period, armed bandits continued to confiscate valuables, impose levies on rural communities, and terrorise villages where mass kidnappings for ransom had reportedly reduced.
Over the past two weeks, communities in Funtua and Faskari Local Government Areas have witnessed a renewed surge of armed bandit activities, with attacks described by residents as more aggressive than those recorded before the negotiation framework was initiated.
Residents of Rafin Dinya community in Funtua Local Government Area were on Friday thrown into panic following a night attack by armed bandits. The assailants reportedly killed one resident and rustled livestock during the operation.
Eyewitnesses said the bandits stormed the community late at night, firing sporadically into the air to instil fear among residents before carrying out the attack. “They killed one person and took away our animals. Up till now, we cannot confirm the whereabouts of some residents—whether they were kidnapped or fled to neighbouring communities out of fear,” a resident lamented.
A similar incident was recorded in Ungududu community, also in Funtua Local Government Area, where residents were reportedly attacked a day earlier under comparable circumstances.
One of the victims, Bello, told Verity News that the attackers struck in the early hours of Thursday. “The armed bandits attacked our village at night. So far, 16 people were abducted, including myself. I managed to escape, but 15 others are still in their custody,” he said.
Residents further recalled that the same group of armed bandits had launched an earlier attack on Unguwar Fadi community within the last two weeks, abducting several residents who, according to them, remain in captivity despite the ongoing negotiation efforts.
Expressing frustration, community members of Unguwar Fadi said: “We embraced the negotiation in good faith, yet they attacked us and kidnapped more than 14 of our people who are still being held. We do not know whether the negotiation is still working or if its terms have been violated, despite repeated assurances that they are sticking to their words.”
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the Katsina State Government. Efforts to obtain comments from the Chairman of Funtua Local Government Area proved unsuccessful.