RismadarVoice Reporters, June 26, 2026
At least seven people were killed when armed bandits attacked the Sayaya community in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State on Thursday, forcing residents to flee for safety.
Residents said the attackers stormed the community in the early hours of the day, shooting sporadically as people ran for cover.
According to information gathered from Daily Trust, a resident said, “We were asleep when we heard heavy gunfire. By the time the gunmen left, seven of our people were lying dead.”
The victims were said to include farmers and traders who had begun returning to their normal activities after weeks of relative calm in the area.
Residents alleged that the attack was led by a notorious bandit leader, Kachallah Muhammad Fulani, who has also been linked to the abduction of retired Major General Abubakar Rabe on May 30.
Community members recalled that security was strengthened in Matazu and neighbouring communities following the abduction of the retired army officer, but claimed the withdrawal of troops allowed the bandits to return.
“When the soldiers were here, we could sleep peacefully. But once they left, the bandits came back with more aggression,” a community elder said.
The latest attack has forced many families to flee Sayaya for Matazu town, while farmers expressed fears of returning to their farmlands due to the worsening security situation.
Residents also accused the same group of recently blocking the Karaduwa–Rimaye road, where travellers were reportedly abducted and assaulted.
Community leaders called on the government to provide a lasting solution to the persistent attacks, insisting that temporary security measures were no longer sufficient.
Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, said the command was yet to verify the incident.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security, Nasiru Mu’azu Danmusa, were unsuccessful as calls and text messages were not returned as of the time of filing this report.
