No fewer than 15 people, including women, children and infants, were abducted when bandits attacked Sabon Layi community in Kakumi Ward, Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State last Thursday night.
Residents said the gunmen arrived around 9:45 p.m. and split into two groups. One group reportedly stole two cows to distract the community, while the other entered homes and abducted victims linked to a resident identified as Aliyu and his younger brother.
The attackers fled through Mununu village in neighbouring Katsina State without firing shots. Local vigilantes and community watch members responded, but the kidnappers had already escaped.
Sources said the attack may be linked to notorious bandit leader Kwashen Garwa, despite a peace deal that had brought relative calm in recent months.
In a related development, bandits have imposed a N10 million levy on farming communities in Bakori and Faskari, warning residents not to clear or cultivate their land until payment is made.
Affected communities include Yanshuni, Unguwar Lamido, Zamfarawa, Doma and Ruwan Godiya.
Residents appealed to the Katsina State Government for urgent intervention, while security authorities had yet to issue an official statement as of the time of this report.
