Suspected bandits launched coordinated attacks on three communities in Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State on Monday night, abducting more than ten residents, mostly women and teenagers.
Residents said the attackers stormed Sarmawa, Yan Chibi, and Gano villages between 10:00pm and 11:00pm, riding on about 50 motorcycles and firing repeatedly into the air. The gunshots sent villagers scrambling for safety as the gang moved from one settlement to another.
Local sources disclosed that the assailants infiltrated the area from neighbouring Katsina State and whisked away several victims during the raid. “Around 50 of them rode into Yan Chibi shooting in the air. Everyone ran. When things calmed down, we realized people had been taken mostly by women. We later heard they attacked other villages too. I can confirm that more than ten people were abducted,” a resident said.
A member of the local vigilante group confirmed that unusual movements of strangers had been reported earlier, prompting some level of alertness. He added that vigilantes and residents attempted to chase the attackers but were unable to intercept them before they escaped toward Katsina State.
He also noted that the wave of attacks in neighbouring Shanono and Bagwai LGAs has heightened fear among communities, forcing many families to avoid sleeping in their homes and instead seek refuge in discreet locations at night.
However, calls placed to the spokesperson of the Kano state police command DSP Abdullahi Kiyawa were not answered though he promised to call back.
