Lawmaker alleges bandits control territory in Katsina after Mosque attack
Following Tuesday’s mosque massacre in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, a lawmaker is alleging that the armed bandits are not only known to security operatives but also control territories in the state.
Sada Soli, who represents the Jibia/Kaita Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday.
He stated that the assailants, who killed dozens of worshippers during early morning prayers, operate freely across border communities and are linked to the ongoing crisis in neighboring Zamfara State.
“They are the ones who hold territory in the state. They are known, especially on the axis of Kankara bordering Zamfara State,” he said. “They enter Kankara, then they enter Malumfashi, then they enter Funtua on this side. They are contiguous local governments; they all share borders. So these are some of the difficulties.”
READ ALSO: Bandits kill 13 worshippers in Katsina Mosque attack
Soli dismissed the idea that the attackers are foreign invaders, emphasising that they are local actors who blend in with the communities. “They are not from the moon; they are people who live with us.
They are not people coming from somewhere, so the security operatives know them,” Soli said. He added that the insecurity in Katsina cannot be handled by the state alone and called for urgent federal intervention to prevent further escalation.
Meanwhile, the Katsina State Government confirmed that 32 worshippers were killed in the attack.
In a statement from the state’s media directorate, a delegation led by the Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Faskari, visited the affected Unguwar Mantau community to condole with survivors and victims’ relatives in Karfi town.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasiru Mu’azu, had earlier described the killings as a reprisal attack, though the motive remains unclear.
READ ALSO: Bandits storm Sokoto Mosque during prayers, kill 1, kidnap many
The government statement also noted that the Nigerian Air Force conducted a swift air interdiction during the attack, disrupting the bandits as they attempted to flee with kidnapped victims.
“In the ensuing confusion, some victims scattered in different directions, while others were rescued and are now receiving treatment in hospitals,” the statement said, adding that the number of abductees is still being verified.
The mosque killings are part of a series of violent attacks in Katsina, one of the states most affected by banditry in Nigeria’s North-West. Communities along the Katsina-Zamfara border have faced repeated sieges, with residents reporting mass killings, abductions, and extortion.
The Katsina State Government has extended its condolences to the victims’ families and assured them that efforts are underway to find the perpetrators. Security agencies have since increased patrols in the affected areas, and the state has appealed for calm among residents.
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