AT LEAST 20 people have been killed following an attack by suspected bandits on Doma community in Tafoki Ward, Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, on Monday, February 3.

Residents said armed men invaded the community and operated for hours without resistance or support from security officers. They moved through the village, shooting sporadically and setting houses and vehicles ablaze.

Some villagers reportedly ran into the bush to hide, while others were caught and killed. Several homes were completely razed, leaving those who escaped the carnage homeless.

The chairman of Faskari Local Government Area, Surajo Aliyu, described the onslaught as a reprisal and one of the deadliest in recent months. “This attack is a reprisal one, and it is a deadly one indeed because we had never had such an attack in the last five months in this area,” he said.

He explained that security forces were informed about the attack but could not reach the village on time to stop it. “Today, they killed at least 20 people. They burnt cars and houses during the dastardly attack. We reported the incident to security personnel, but unfortunately, they could not arrive before the bandits carried out their heinous act,” Aliyu said.

According to him, the bodies of the victims were collected, and they would be buried today (Wednesday). “We sympathise with the people of Doma, Tafoki Ward, Faskari, and indeed the entire people of Katsina State, especially the bereaved families. May God bring an end to these senseless killings,” he added.

The ICIR reports that the attack signals the collapse of recent peace deal between the state, its LGAs and the bandits. There were several negotiations among the parties in the past; they failed to restore peace.

Residents said the agreement had brought a relative calm, but the latest incident has revived fear and uncertainty. The villagers are now worried about their safety and the possibility of more attacks.

On January 2, a letter from the Katsina State Ministry of Justice indicated that the state government had approved the release of 70 suspected bandits who were in custody and standing trial for banditry-related offences.

The letter, classified as secret and addressed to the state’s Chief Judge, Musa Abubakar, requested the intervention of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) to facilitate the release of the suspects.

It stated that the move was a condition for the continuation of an existing peace accord between affected communities in many local government areas of the state and armed groups operating in those areas.

The letter drew public attention and backlash, with concerns raised over the implications of releasing suspects facing criminal trials.

Despite public ire that trailed the decision, the government defended the decision. On January 12, the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasiru Danmusa, said the planned release was aimed at consolidating peace and securing the freedom of abducted persons.

According to him, the peace pact had already led to the release of more than 1,000 people previously held captive by armed groups across the state.

The government argued that similar peace deal had been adopted in conflict situations globally, adding that the process fell within the statutory powers of the ACJMC under Section 371(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Katsina State, 2021.