No fewer than 14 people have been killed and several others injured following two separate attacks by suspected bandits in Dandume and Musawa Local Government Areas of Katsina State.

The attacks, which occurred Tuesday evening in Dansoda and Jikamshi communities of Dandume and Musawa Local Government Areas, threw the affected communities into panic as gunmen reportedly opened fire on residents and looted properties.

A resident of Dansoda, Kabir Adamu, who confirmed the attack on the community to journalists Wednesday, said the marauding bandits invaded the agrarian community at about 8:00 p.m. and killed 11 people on the spot.

According to him, many people were sitting outside their homes and under trees relaxing when the gunmen suddenly invaded the community, shooting sporadically.

He added that after the attackers left the community, residents cautiously came out of hiding and discovered that 11 people had been killed, while 13 sustained injuries during the attack.

“People ran in different directions to escape the attack, but some of the bandits shot directly at fleeing residents, leading to the death of 11 people. They left 13 other people with gunshot wounds,” he said.

He stated that the victims were buried Wednesday morning according to Islamic rites, while those injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

In the Jikamshi community, the suspected bandits killed three residents and left 11 others with varying degrees of gunshot injuries during the deadly attack that occurred at about 6:10 p.m.

A resident of the area, Suleiman Ibrahim, said the hoodlums operated in the area for more than an hour, during which they looted shops and carted away food items and other valuables worth millions of naira.

He explained that prior to the attack, they had alerted security operatives and government officials about a possible invasion by the bandits.

Confirming the Jikamshi attack in a statement Wednesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, said a joint team of security agencies, led by the divisional police officer of Musawa division, engaged the bandits in a gunfight and “successfully foiled” the attack.

He said: “On March 10th, 2026, at about 1805 hrs, a distress call was received at Musawa Division that suspected bandits, in their numbers and armed with dangerous weapons, attacked Jikamshi village, Musawa LGA, Katsina State, injuring 14 persons before the arrival of security agencies.

“Upon receipt of the report, quickly, a joint team of security agencies, led by the DPO Musawa, responded to the scene. The team engaged the bandits in a gun duel, successfully foiling the attack.

“The injured victims were immediately rushed to the nearest hospital for immediate medical attention. Unfortunately, 3 of the injured victims were confirmed dead by the doctor on duty, as 11 are responding to treatment.”

While condemning the incident, the state police spokesperson said the commissioner of police has directed further investigation into the matter with a view to arresting perpetrators of the “dastardly act”. (THISDAY)

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