No fewer than 16 people were reportedly killed when suspected bandits invaded a community in Katsina State during the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, in what residents described as a retaliatory attack.
Sources within the affected area said the assailants stormed the village and unleashed violence on residents, leaving several people dead and many others injured.
A local source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the attack may have been carried out in revenge for the recent killing of two suspected bandits believed to be members of a notorious criminal gang operating in the area.
“The attack appears to be a revenge mission. Two bandits were reportedly killed recently, and intelligence suggested they belonged to a feared gang. That may have triggered the assault on the community,” the source said.
The latest incident has heightened concerns over the worsening security situation in parts of Katsina State, where communities continue to grapple with recurring attacks by armed groups despite ongoing security operations.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Katsina State Police Command, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, said the incident had yet to be officially reported to the command.
He, however, assured that the police would provide details once the report was received and verified.
“As soon as we get the full details and verify the information, the command will issue an update on the incident,” Aliyu said.
As of the time of filing this report, the police had yet to release an official statement on the attack.
