Insecurity: Residents raise alarm over renewed bandit attacks in Katsina community

Residents of Funtua, located in Katsina State, have expressed concern over renewed bandit attacks and ongoing gunfire in certain parts of the town. Recently, suspected armed men allegedly invaded several areas within Funtua, including Kasuwar Mata, Dandaji, and the Sokoto Bye-Pass corridor near the ASA Bread Company. A local resident, Muhammad Bello, recounted how the attackers moved through some regions while firing indiscriminately, with gunfire persisting intermittently for nearly two hours. This forced residents to remain indoors, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire.

Another resident, Ja’afar Musa, confirmed that security forces responded swiftly, mobilizing to counter the attackers. Musa added that the community cooperated by staying indoors and providing information to aid in containing the situation. A trader, Abdulrahman Shehu, voiced worry over the worsening security conditions in Funtua and neighboring areas, stating that the recent incident had heightened concerns regarding safety in parts of the Funtua Local Government Area.

Residents have consistently raised concerns over recurrent incidents of kidnapping, armed attacks, and other criminal activities, urging for increased security measures, enhanced patrols, better intelligence gathering, and quicker responses to attacks.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, confirmed the attack and expressed confidence that security agencies were effectively addressing the situation.