Convoy of pro-government fighters was returning from a funeral when they came under fire from bandits in Katsina State.
Authorities have reported that at least 21 government-backed fighters were killed in an ambush by bandits in Nigeria’s northwest Katsina State.
Katsina police spokesman Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu informed the AFP news agency on Saturday that a convoy of pro-government fighters was returning from paying condolences to the family of a deceased colleague when they were attacked by bandits in the village of Baure, located in the Safana district.
“Regrettably, 21 individuals lost their lives in the attack,” Aliyu stated, and mentioned that efforts are being made by the police to apprehend the perpetrators of the attack that occurred on Tuesday.
Witnesses told Nigeria’s Premium Times that up to 25 people were killed in the attack, with several more villagers still unaccounted for.
Nigeria’s The Guardian revealed that the fighters belonged to the state-supported Katsina Community Watch Corps (KCWC).
Additionally, the newspaper quoted Aliyu as saying that police have been dispatched to the attack area to help restore order.
Katsina, along with other states in northwestern and central Nigeria, is plagued by bandits who frequently raid villages, committing atrocities such as killing, abducting, and looting homes.
Notably, in June 2024, gunmen attacked a rural community in the state, resulting in seven fatalities and the kidnapping of around 100 individuals.
The bandits, who have established camps in a massive forest spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states, have gained infamy for their large-scale kidnappings of students from educational institutions in recent times.
Boko Haram, a notorious extremist group, has also conducted attacks and abductions in the state.
In 2023, Katsina State Governor Dikko Umar Radda established the KCWC force consisting of roughly 2,000 members to support the military and police in combating the criminal gangs.
