Midnight raid deepens fear along Kano-Katsina border as gunmen kill three in Tsanyawa
Residents of Yankamaye community in Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State are counting their losses after armed gunmen invaded the town late Monday night, killing three people, injuring several others and forcing families to flee into nearby bushes in search of safety.
Residents of Yankamaye community in Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State are counting their losses after armed gunmen invaded the town late Monday night, killing three people, injuring several others and forcing families to flee into nearby bushes in search of safety.
The attack, which residents described as one of the most frightening security incidents in the area in recent months, has heightened fears over the growing spread of banditry from neighbouring Katsina State into parts of Kano State previously considered relatively secure.
Survivors said the attackers stormed the community under the cover of darkness, shooting sporadically and sending terrified residents running in different directions. By Tuesday morning, grieving families gathered around the homes of the victims, while anxious residents lamented what they described as worsening insecurity around communities bordering Katsina State.
A member of the House of Representatives representing Ghari and Tsanyawa Federal Constituency, Sani Bala, confirmed the incident in a statement, saying three persons had so far been confirmed dead. “As at the time of this update, three people have been confirmed dead,” the lawmaker stated, while calling attention to the deteriorating security situation in the area.
Residents said the attack lasted for several minutes as gunshots echoed across the community, leaving many unable to return home until early hours of Tuesday.
Saifullahi Sulaiman Sorodaya, one of the residents, said panic spread quickly when the attackers entered the village firing continuously.
“The attackers entered the town shooting without stopping, and people had no option but to run for their lives,” he said.
According to him, parents fled with children into nearby farmlands and bushes, while others hid inside abandoned structures until the gunmen left the area.
Another resident, Madahuru Isah Ibrahim, said several persons sustained injuries during the attack and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
He explained that the community has increasingly become vulnerable due to its proximity to forests and border communities linking Kano and Katsina states.
“Our people are living in fear. Farmers can no longer sleep peacefully, and many are afraid to go to their farms because of recurring attacks around these areas,” he said.
The latest incident has once again drawn attention to growing security concerns in parts of Kano State, especially communities bordering Katsina, Kaduna and Jigawa states where residents say armed gangs and bandits have continued to exploit weak security presence.
Although Kano has largely avoided the scale of violence witnessed in parts of the North-West, recent months have seen rising reports of kidnappings, cattle rustling and attacks on rural communities in border local government areas.
Security analysts and community leaders have repeatedly warned that the activities of armed groups operating in forests across Katsina, Kaduna and Zamfara states could spill deeper into Kano if proactive measures are not taken.
In recent months, communities in Shanono, Tsanyawa and parts of Bichi axis have reported increased movement of suspected bandits, with residents complaining about nighttime attacks, theft and intimidation. Neighbouring Katsina State has remained one of the states worst hit by banditry in the North-West, with several local government areas witnessing repeated attacks, mass abductions and killings.
Communities in Kankara, Safana, Faskari, Batsari and Jibia local government areas have experienced persistent assaults by armed groups despite ongoing military operations in the region.
Security pressure mounted on bandit enclaves in Katsina and Zamfara is believed to have contributed to the migration of some criminal elements toward border communities in Kano and Jigawa states.
Residents in Tsanyawa said the latest attack has intensified calls for stronger collaboration between security agencies and local vigilante groups to secure vulnerable rural settlements.
Following the attack, community members appealed to the police, military and other security agencies to deploy additional personnel to the area and increase surveillance, especially during nighttime.
Some residents also called for the establishment of permanent security outposts around remote communities frequently targeted by attackers.
“There is fear everywhere now. People are scared because this kind of attack was not common here before,” a local resident said Tuesday morning.
Others expressed concern that continued attacks could affect farming activities as many rural dwellers prepare for the new planting season.
Agricultural communities across Kano and neighbouring states are already battling rising economic pressure linked to insecurity, with many farmers abandoning farmlands located near forests and isolated routes.
Community leaders warned that failure to contain the situation could worsen food insecurity and economic hardship in affected areas.
Attempts to obtain official reaction from security agencies on Tuesday were unsuccessful as authorities had yet to issue formal statements regarding the attack at the time of filing this report.
However, residents said security personnel were later seen around parts of the affected community after the attackers had fled. For many families in Yankamaye, Tuesday began not with preparations for work or farming, but with mourning, fear and uncertainty over what the next night could bring.
