In a tragic incident in Katsina State, four people were killed, and eight others were abducted by bandits armed with sophisticated weapons, including AK-47 rifles. The attack took place in the Nahuta and Dantsuntu Communities of the Batsari Local Government Area of the State.
According to an eyewitness, the bandits surrounded the area on Saturday evening while farmers were working on their farmlands, shooting sporadically. The attackers continued their operation until the early hours of Sunday.
The spokesperson for the Katsina Police Command confirmed the incident on Monday. He stated that the police are actively responding to the situation, and five persons have already been rescued unharmed out of the eight initially kidnapped.
Batsari is among the local government areas in Katsina State that has experienced an increase in banditry, making life difficult for the locals who struggle to access their farmlands, which serve as their primary source of livelihood.
The violence in North-West Nigeria has its roots in conflicts between nomadic herders and settled farmers over land and resources, evolving into a broader issue of criminality in the region.