A surge in bandit attacks has plunged the Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State into crisis, leaving dozens dead and over 200 abducted in just one week.
Targeted villages include Bagaji Wando, Ilallah, Mai Gamji, Nasarawa Dan Kurmi, and surrounding areas of Funtua town. In Bagaji Wando alone, nine people were killed, 37 kidnapped, and two vehicles set ablaze.
Fear and insecurity have driven many farmers from their fields during the critical rainy season, raising concerns about the region’s food supply. “Since banditry began in Katsina nearly a decade ago, Funtua has never seen violence on this scale,” one resident said anonymously.
Katsina State Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasiru Mu’azu, acknowledged the seasonal increase in attacks but said joint operations involving state, federal, and civilian security teams are underway.
Past efforts have shown some success. In January, police rescued 18 hostages on the Funtua–Gusau highway, and in April, they thwarted another kidnapping attempt, saving 10 victims during a shootout.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Zamfara State, confusion surrounds the status of notorious bandit leader Bello Turji. Islamic cleric Sheikh Musa Yusuf Asadus-Sunnah recently claimed that Turji held peace talks, surrendered arms, and released 32 hostages. He also claimed farming resumed in Shinkafi under an informal truce.
However, security agencies deny the existence of any official peace agreement with Turji. In contrast to the cleric’s claims, media investigations suggest Turji continues to dominate the regional watermelon trade and impose levies on farmers allegedly extorting hundreds of millions of Naira under the guise of protection fees.
The deteriorating security situation in Funtua and beyond remains a major concern as communities struggle to cope with violence, displacement, and economic hardship.
