Katsina Lawmaker Weeps As Bandits Kill 12 Farmers In Two Days

The Chief Whip of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Umar Dikko, broke down in tears during plenary over the worsening insecurity in Matazu Local Government Area of the state.

Naija News reports that Dikko, who represents Matazu Constituency, lamented that bandits had virtually taken control of the area, leaving residents helpless and farmers unable to access their farmlands.

“Out of the 10 wards, eight are under siege. Farmers cannot go to farms. Just yesterday, by the entrance of the town near the secondary school, they killed a young man and rustled four sets of oxen used for ploughing,” the visibly shaken lawmaker said.

The Assembly Whip revealed that in just two days, 12 farmers were brutally murdered by the gunmen.

“Yesterday, they killed five farmers on their farm. A day before that, they killed seven farmers on their farms. Wallahi, the farms are inaccessible anymore,” he cried, his voice heavy with emotion.

His passionate plea drew attention to the plight of his constituents, many of whom have been displaced or forced to abandon their livelihoods.

Katsina, the home state of former President Muhammadu Buhari, remains one of the worst-hit states by banditry in the North-West.

Armed groups have continued to raid villages, killing, kidnapping, and raping residents at will, despite sustained military operations and the deployment of additional security forces.

Security experts say the bandits take advantage of dense forests in the region, using them as hideouts from where they launch coordinated assaults on farming communities.

Both the state and federal governments have rolled out measures, including supporting vigilante groups, deploying more troops, and providing relief to displaced persons. However, the attacks have persisted almost daily, leaving residents in fear and uncertainty.

The lawmaker urged authorities to act urgently, stressing that the lives and livelihoods of thousands of innocent villagers were at stake.