Tears in Katsina Assembly as Lawmaker Cries Out Over Bandit Killings

The Katsina State House of Assembly witnessed an emotional moment on Tuesday as Chief Whip Ibrahim Dikko broke down in tears while lamenting the incessant killings by bandits in his constituency, Matazu Local Government Area.

Speaking during plenary, Mr Dikko painted a grim picture of life under siege in rural Katsina.

“Out of the 10 wards, eight are under siege. Farmers cannot go to farms. Just yesterday, near the secondary school, they killed a young man and rustled four oxen used for ploughing,” he told fellow lawmakers.

His voice cracked as he added:

“Yesterday, they killed five farmers. The day before, they killed seven. Wallahi, the farms are inaccessible anymore. Mr Speaker, we are in dire need of help.”

The chamber fell silent as legislators, many from similarly affected communities, listened.

Assembly’s Response

Following his plea, the House swiftly passed motions urging the urgent deployment of more security forces to Matazu and neighbouring Sabuwa LGAs. The lawmakers also demanded an investigation into the reported withdrawal of security personnel from several villages.

Speaker Nasir Daura called for stronger collaboration between the police and military, stressing that peace must be restored without delay.

The motions were co-sponsored by Ibrahim Dikko (Matazu) and Ibrahim Machika (Sabuwa).

The Human Toll

Beyond the Assembly, accounts from residents highlighted the devastating reality.

• In Rinjin Idi, Sayaya and Karaduwa, farmers described their fields as “death traps.”
• Ibrahim Sani, a farmer, said: “I lost two brothers on their farms last week. Nobody goes to the fields anymore. Hunger is coming.”
• Women like Hauwa’u Matazu from Sayaya spoke of sleepless nights: “We hear gunshots almost daily and our children wake up crying. We feel abandoned.”

In Karaduwa, residents recalled the July abduction of their village head, Abdullahi Bello, raising fears that no one is safe.

Farming, the backbone of life in Matazu, has nearly ground to a halt, while cattle rustling has stripped families of their most valuable assets.

Community Appeals

Earlier this month, six communities in Matazu petitioned Governor Dikko Radda and security chiefs, demanding the deployment of soldiers and police, support for vigilante groups, and economic relief.

Matazu council chairman, Shamsuddeen Sayaya, appealed for calm, assuring residents that efforts are ongoing to restore peace. But many locals remain sceptical. “We have heard promises before. What we need is action, not words,” said a farmer in Mazoji.

The Malumfashi Massacre

As lawmakers deliberated on the Matazu crisis, news emerged of another tragedy in Malumfashi LGA, where gunmen attacked a mosque during dawn (Fajr) prayers, killing at least 13 worshippers.

Survivors described the horror of armed men storming the mosque and opening fire, forcing worshippers to flee barefoot into the dark.

Religious leaders have since called for tighter security around places of worship.

 A Wider Crisis

Katsina, the home state of late former President Muhammadu Buhari, has become a focal point of Nigeria’s worsening banditry crisis. For years, armed groups operating from forested hideouts have raided villages, killed civilians, rustled livestock, and abducted residents for ransom.

With farming disrupted, communities displaced, and fear spreading, the cries from Katsina’s parliament echo the anguish of thousands across the state.