Criminals, generally referred to as bandits on Monday reportedly stormed a grain market in Guga village, Bakori Local Government Area, killing at least 10 persons and leaving destruction in their wake.
Channels reported that the attackers invaded the community on Sunday in broad daylight, opening fire on traders, farmers and other residents gathered at the market.
A pregnant woman was said to be among those killed during the assault, which eyewitnesses described as chaotic and prolonged.
Survivors said the gunmen operated for several hours without interruption, forcing villagers and traders to flee into nearby bushes and neighbouring settlements to escape the violence.
Beyond the killings, the assailants reportedly razed several houses during the raid and carted away an unspecified number of livestock, including cows, goats and sheep belonging to villagers.
According to community sources, many of those attacked were farmers who had travelled from neighbouring settlements to sell farm produce at the busy market.
“Many of the victims were farmers from neighbouring communities, including Gidan Sarkin Noma and Gidan Wawo, who had travelled to the market to sell their produce,” a resident said.
The attack has thrown the affected communities into mourning, with relatives and sympathisers lamenting the worsening security situation in the area.
Residents further revealed that the deceased were buried on Monday morning following mass funeral prayers conducted in Gidan Sarkin Noma and Gidan Wawo communities, both located within Bakori Local Government Area.
Locals described the incident as one of the deadliest attacks recorded in the area in recent months, noting that armed groups have continued to target rural communities despite repeated security operations across parts of the state.
Eyewitnesses said the heavily armed men arrived in large numbers and fired indiscriminately at people around the market square before looting animals and setting houses ablaze.
“The assailants also set several houses ablaze and rustled an unspecified number of livestock, including cows, goats, and sheep,” one of the residents recounted.
As of the time this report was filed, neither the police nor the Katsina State Government had issued an official statement on the attack, a development that further heightened anxiety among residents already living under the shadow of recurring violence.
Attempts by reporters to get comments from the Katsina Police Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu as of the time of filing this report proved abortive as he didn’t reply text or pick his calls.
The latest incident has once again underscored the persistent security challenges facing several rural communities in the State, where repeated attacks, kidnappings and cattle rustling have continued to displace families, disrupt farming activities and deepen fears among residents struggling to rebuild their lives despite government efforts to rid the state of all these crimes.
