Funtua, Katsina State – Fear and grief have gripped residents of Funtua and Dandume Local Government Areas in Katsina State following coordinated terrorist attacks that left six people dead and 53 others kidnapped, including women and children.
The attacks, which occurred between Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, have sparked mass displacement across affected communities, further compounding the hardship already faced by residents battling food scarcity and insecurity.
A resident, who spoke to The Bureau on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, described the ordeal as a nightmare that unfolded around 10:30 pm on Saturday and continued into Sunday.
“The gunmen stormed villages in Funtua and Dandume LGAs, killing and abducting residents. They kidnapped 53 people, including married women, girls, and children. Two were killed in Layin Garaa, and four in Mai Kwama, Dandume LGA,” the source said.
Mustapha Abdullahi, the village head of Layin Garaa, confirmed the incident and described the situation as “dire”.
“Our people are already struggling with hunger, and now this. It has pushed them into further despair. The government sees this happening, but nothing is being done,” he said. “Even when security men come around, they barely stay long enough to make a difference.”
The Katsina State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, was unavailable for comment as calls to his phone went unanswered. Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, said he was attending a programme in Abuja and could not speak at the moment.
The renewed violence in Katsina adds to the growing tally of security breaches across Nigeria’s North-West, where terrorists continue to carry out deadly raids, mass abductions, and destruction of property, often with little to no resistance.
As families mourn their dead and search for missing loved ones, residents are calling on both federal and state authorities to rise beyond rhetoric and deploy sustainable security interventions that will ensure lasting peace and protect lives.
