BY TAIBAT UMMI YAKUBU

Suspected bandits have reportedly abducted about 115 farmers, mostly women and children, and killed two people in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, in an attack allegedly linked to a dispute involving ₦6 million in ransom money and a recently negotiated peace deal.

The attack reportedly occurred on Saturday afternoon when the victims were working on their farmlands, leaving residents worried about renewed violence despite efforts to restore peace between communities and armed groups operating in the area.

A resident of Faskari said the assailants invaded the farmlands, killed two people and whisked away about 115 others. The reported incident has heightened anxiety among rural households, particularly those who depend on farming for their livelihoods.

Human rights advocate Shamsudeen Faskari said the attack was suspected to be a reprisal for an earlier confrontation involving members of the civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) and some Fulani men allegedly transporting ₦6 million intended to secure the release of kidnapped victims.

According to Faskari, information attributed to a Fulani leader suggested that the men carrying the ransom money were ambushed by civilian JTF members. The alleged interception was said to have triggered the subsequent assault on the farmers, although the connection between the two incidents has not been independently verified.

Condemning the reported attack, Faskari questioned why women, children and other innocent residents should become targets over a dispute that could have been referred to local authorities and stakeholders involved in the peace negotiations.

He warned that the incident could derail the fragile peace arrangement recently reached with armed groups in parts of Faskari, stressing that disagreements must be resolved through established channels rather than violence against civilians.

Advertisement

The advocate called on the relevant authorities and community leaders to review the peace process and establish clear procedures for handling grievances, investigating alleged violations and holding those responsible for attacks accountable.

He maintained that peace agreements would remain fragile without effective safeguards to protect residents from retaliation, particularly where disputes arise between armed groups and community security volunteers.

The reported abduction has also raised concerns about the impact of insecurity on farming activities, food supplies and household incomes. With families relying on the harvest to sustain themselves, further violence could disrupt agricultural production, force residents to flee and expose children to interruptions in their education.

However, the alleged interception of the ₦6 million, the motive behind the attack and the reported number of abducted victims have not been independently confirmed.

As of the time of filing this report, the Katsina State Police Command and relevant local government authorities had yet to officially confirm the incident.