Bandits Kill 22 in Katsina as Peace Deal Fails

In Jibia local government area of Katsina State, bandits killed 22 individuals and injured two others while rustling 259 livestock, 16 months after a peace agreement collapsed. The peace deal, reportedly established in February 2025, had led to about a year of relative calm in the region.

However, renewed violence erupted, particularly in Daddara district, with a deadly clash on March 17, 2026, resulting in at least 18 fatalities due to confrontations between suspected bandits and community vigilantes in Falale and Kadobe villages. Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mu’azu, confirmed that 15 people died in a reprisal attack, while three vigilantes were killed during an exchange of gunfire.

Mu’azu stated that security forces, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), collaborated with local leaders to restore order. He expressed condolences to the victims' families and reiterated the commitment of Governor Dikko Umaru Radda's administration to safeguard lives and property.