The recent surge in violent attacks and the indiscriminate planting of bombs by bandits and terrorists in parts of Northern Nigeria is fueling fear across communities in the region, Sunday PUNCH findings have revealed.

After a brief lull, the country again witnessed renewed terror assaults as terrorists resumed attacks on soft targets.

On Monday, the Borno State Police Command said it recovered and defused an Improvised Explosive Device planted near an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Mallam Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area of the state.

A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer for the state, ASP Nahum Daso, revealed that the device, described as ‘victim-operated’ was found in a border town, about 272 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital.

The Incident happened less than 24 hours after the police defused another explosive planted on a farm in Dikwa LGA of the state.

On Monday, bandits also killed at least 34 worshippers at a mosque in Unguwar Mantau community of Malumfashi LGA of Katsina State.

The assailants stormed the community mosque around 5am while residents were observing Fajr prayers.

They opened fire on the worshippers in what officials described as a reprisal.

On Wednesday, suspected herders also killed four people in two communities of Agatu LGA of Benue State.

Also during the week, no fewer than 15 farmers were reportedly killed in a fresh attack on seven villages of Manden, Jibin, Tim, Jiblang, Koppang, Mihdihin, and Jilem in Chakfem district of Mangu LGA, Plateau State.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, on Thursday, confirmed the resurgent killings and attack, linking them to the build-up to the 2027 general elections.

In separate interviews with our correspondents, residents of some of the affected Northern communities said they now lived in fear and anxiety due to the surge in killings.

Rising anxiety in Yobe

Some residents of Yobe State said they were worried about the resurgence of bomb threats and insurgent attacks in the North-East.

A civil servant in Damaturu, Musa Abubakar, described the situation as disturbing.

“I live in permanent fear of something bad happening to me, not knowing where, when, or how,” he told Sunday PUNCH.

Abubakar explained that he had limited his movements and interactions, a decision that had affected his income.

He noted that Yobe remained vulnerable to attacks due to its proximity to Borno State and its history with insurgency.

“We hear stories of their presence in nearby villages, and some of those places have been attacked. It’s a real threat that one lives with every day,” he added.

Another resident, Abubakar Ismael, shared similar fears.

“The fear of attacks creates constant anxiety and limits freedom of movement, especially at night. Families are restricting their children and themselves from going far or attending late activities, and this is affecting farming and trading,” he said.

Ismael identified markets, social events, political gatherings, IDP camps, and health facilities as potential soft targets.

He cautioned, “People must be vigilant and share information whenever they see something suspicious.”

Another Damaturu resident, Mohammed Samaila, highlighted the plight of urban farmers.

“The threats of being attacked or kidnapped by terrorist groups have seriously affected urban farmers, who usually go to rural communities during the rainy season for their farming activities,” he said.

Samaila added that fear extended to travellers and businesses, especially along the Damaturu-Buni Yadi-Biu road, where incidents of attacks and kidnappings had been reported.

“The situation is indeed disturbing, and residents are calling for increased security measures to protect them. Authorities must take these concerns seriously and provide the necessary support to ensure safety,” he said.

Sokoto residents cry out

Residents of communities in Sokoto State’s eastern senatorial district also raised the alarm over persistent attacks by armed bandits, saying worsening insecurity had left them living in fear.

The recent killing of worshippers inside a mosque in Katsina State heightened concerns among residents, who said the attack mirrored the threats faced by their communities.

A farmer from Isa LGA of Sokoto, Mallam Abubakar Bello, said the people in his community were increasingly abandoning communal prayers out of fear of possible attacks.

“The killing of worshippers in the mosque during morning prayer has caused serious tension here. Many people now prefer to pray at home because they are afraid of being attacked,” he said.

“We need more security and assurance from the government. From what we have observed, bandits now target people on farmlands, making farming unsafe for us.”

Echoing similar concerns, Usman Sambo from Sabon Birni LGA said farmlands had become “soft targets” for kidnappers.

“This is farming season, and since most of us depend solely on farming, bandits have changed their tactics. They now trace victims to their farms and abduct them there,” he said.

“You cannot always go to the farm with vigilantes, so they take advantage of that. A friend of mine told me one of his relatives was kidnapped along with his wife on their farmland in Malumfashi, Katsina State. If it happens there, it can happen here too.”

Zamfara residents

In Zamfara State, residents also said they lived in constant fear due to the recent wave of killings and kidnappings.

Some of them told Sunday PUNCH that they had lost confidence in security agencies and were left with no option but to flee for safety.

A resident, Musa Sani, said he evacuated his family from his village, Dansadau, and relocated to Sokoto State where the situation was less tense.

Sani said he lost two children and his aged mother to banditry, adding that his farmland was repeatedly destroyed just when he was about to harvest.

He said, “I am a native of Dansadau town in Maru LGA of Zamfara State and a large-scale farmer.

“I used to get between 1,200 to 1,500 bags of assorted food items in every rainy season, but with the emergence of banditry, I cannot even get 100 bags.

“The bandits impose levies on every farmer, and if you refuse to pay, they either kill you or burn your crops. They killed two of my children and my father, and also tried to kill me. That was why I moved with my family to Sokoto State.”

Another resident of Kizara village in Tsafe LGA, Samaila Haruna, said his community had been paying levies to bandits as part of a temporary reconciliation arrangement.

According to him, the villagers now make monthly contributions to the bandits.

“We contribute money every month and pay the bandits. Each person gives something depending on his financial status.

“For now, we are not being attacked and we can go to our farms, but only because we totally comply with their rules and regulations,” Haruna disclosed.

Katsina under siege

Meanwhile, some Katsina State residents have called on government at all levels to stop the ongoing killings by bandits.

A resident of Unguwa Mai Farin Kai, Umar Usman, said the village had been under consistent bandit attacks for the past two years.

“One of the worst incidents happened during our early morning Subhi prayers. The bandits came and started locking the mosque doors.

“This was a Friday mosque with many doors. They locked the eastern and western doors first. By the time they reached the southern doors, some worshippers escaped by God’s mercy. But those trapped inside were massacred. Only three managed to hide in the makara (pulpit), while 18 worshippers were killed inside the mosque.

“The bandits also burnt 13 houses, killing four people. They abducted four others, two of whom later died. In total, we lost about 24 lives in that attack alone. Five victims are still receiving treatment at a Katsina hospital,” Usman lamented.

He stressed that the bandits also kidnapped about 50 people, mostly women and children.

“We live in constant fear, as attacks continue without any clear reason. Perhaps because, a week earlier, our people had resisted and touched some of their men; they retaliated heavily and have not stopped since.

“What pains us the most is that no government help has reached us. No security forces came—neither DPO nor soldiers. No offic’al, chairman, or representative came to console or support us. We have not received even a penny of assistance,” he said.

Borno village head accuse scavengers

The Deputy Bulama (ward head) of Abuja, Talakawa area of Borno State, Usman Bulama, blamed the rising bomb scare on the unchecked activities of scavengers.

Bulama told Sunday PUNCH young boys occasionally moved explosives, mistaking them for scrap items.

He said, “You know we experienced insurgency for a long time and during the peak, the insurgents were forced to abandon their property in some locations where they once lived. When rain falls, it is likely to wash them out.

“So, these boys picking iron can see them and take them for resale before realising what they are, and then dump them in another environment they consider open for people to see.”

He recalled a particular case late last year when an explosive inside a sack was dropped not far from a mosque.

“You won’t believe that it was Ajaokuta (scavengers) that left it there. What we suspect is that he may have picked it from somewhere and upon discovering what it was, just dropped it anywhere people could easily find it,” he added.

Police to change tactics

Following the recent discoveries of IEDs across villages and near an Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Borno State, the state police command said it was a signal that terrorists were regrouping.

In a phone interview with Sunday PUNCH, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, said the frequency and concurrency of the incidents made them deeply alarming.

He explained that insurgents exploited isolated areas, which they considered secure enough to prevent detection.

“From our investigation so far, some of these explosives are planted deliberately, while some are items people unknowingly pick from one place and dump in another,” he said.

“We can’t categorically say this is exactly how they are planted, but we discovered that many of the locations are isolated routes regularly used by villagers.”

According to him, recent incidents show that insurgents have reviewed their operations and adjusted tactics in response to sustained military onslaughts on their hideouts.

“The antics of the insurgents are not entirely clear; it’s a multi-dimensional type of attack. But with these incidents, it is obvious that the enemies have regrouped and are strengthening their operations,” Daso noted.

Backing up his claim, the police spokesman stressed that the discovery of explosives in recent times was unlike previous years when such devices were rarely found in communities.

He, however, added that the police were also adapting to the changing tactics by strengthening their operations to curb terrorist activities. (The PUNCH)