In the most recent incident of violence in Nigeria ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections, gunmen and vigilantes fought each other in the state of Katsina, located in the country’s north. The conflict resulted in the deaths of over forty individuals. The spokesperson for the Katsina state police, Gambo Isah, stated on Friday that an armed group, commonly referred to as bandits in the area, invaded a community in the Bakori local government area of Katsina and stole cattle and sheep before fleeing into the surrounding woods.
According to the spokesperson, a local vigilante group had organized and pursued the gunmen, which led to the violent confrontation that took place on Thursday and resulted in a huge number of fatalities. Isah has stated that “a joint security operation” is currently being carried out with the intention of “bringing the criminals to account.” Katsina is one of the northern states that has been hit the hardest by armed gangs. These gangs attack towns and highways in isolated regions of the region where security personnel are stretched thin, and they kidnap people from these areas. Before the election on February 25, voters will choose new members of parliament and a successor to President Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler who came to power eight years ago promising to end insecurity. However, lack of security has become widespread, and it is a primary concern for voters ahead of the election.
According to two different security sources, there have been fifty people killed in Katsina. On Friday, the bodies of those who had been killed were discovered from the wilderness. According to the sources, those who were hurt during the scuffles were transported to the Kankara hospital located in the state. Communities are prohibited from taking the law into their own hands through vigilantism, according to Ibrahim Ahmed, who is a special adviser on security for the state of Katsina. He said this is because it will lead to tragic repercussions.
