Fear and sorrow have once again gripped Katsina State after armed bandits launched a brutal attack on Doguwar Šorawa, a quiet community just two kilometres from Guga in Bakori Local Government Area, late Tuesday night.
Residents described the invasion as “gruesome and heartbreaking,” as the attackers slaughtered two respected community elders — Alhaji Bishir and his brother, Alhaji Surajo — before abducting several others.
According to community leader Mahadi Guga, the assailants arrived around 10 p.m., storming the village and operating freely for over an hour. “They came without warning, killed our elders, and kidnapped many people. I’m heading there now for their burial,” he said with a trembling voice.
Locals say the attackers are likely loyalists of notorious bandit leaders Idi Abasu Aiki and Kwashen Garuwa, both infamous for terrorizing Bakori and neighbouring towns. “They parked their motorcycles in the bush and walked in quietly before unleashing terror,” one resident revealed.
The same night, another community — Layin ‘Yannehu — was also attacked, with dozens of livestock rustled. These incidents follow recent raids in Ganjar, Alhazawa, and Gidan Nagari, where 43 residents were abducted, leaving families in fear and uncertainty.
Despite repeated attacks, residents lament that government and security officials remain silent, offering little reassurance to affected villages. For many in Katsina’s southern zone, life has become a cycle of fear, funerals, and unanswered prayers — a painful reminder that peace remains a distant dream.
