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Katsina, Katsina State – By Prime Brief Media

Armed men killed at least 11 people in a reprisal attack on communities in Katsina State on Saturday, police have confirmed, in the latest episode of violence that underscores the persistent threat posed by bandit networks across the North-West.

The attack occurred in the evening hours after security forces had earlier thwarted an attempt by the gunmen to invade the area. Residents told Prime Brief Media that the bandits, angered by the resistance and the casualties they sustained during the encounter with security operatives, retreated to the forest, regrouped, and returned with reinforcement to carry out the deadly raid.

“They came back with a vengeance. We lost 11 of our people, including women and children, in the mayhem,” said a community elder who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal. The elder added that several houses and granaries were set ablaze, and an unknown number of livestock were rustled during the operation.

The Katsina State Police Command, in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, confirmed the casualty figure and said additional security personnel had been deployed to the affected area to restore calm and prevent further attacks. “The Command is working with other security agencies to track down the perpetrators. We are not relenting in our efforts to protect lives and property,” the statement read in part.

Katsina, the home state of former President Muhammadu Buhari, has remained one of the most heavily affected states in the banditry crisis that has gripped the North-West. Despite multiple military offensives, including aerial bombardments and ground operations, armed groups have continued to operate from forest enclaves, striking remote communities, extorting villages, and carrying out mass abductions for ransom.

Security analysts note that the pattern of reprisal attacks is becoming increasingly common. “Whenever communities resist or security forces inflict casualties, the bandits respond with disproportionate violence to send a message. It is a vicious cycle that requires a comprehensive stabilisation strategy, not just kinetic operations,” said Dr. Kabiru Sufi, a conflict researcher based in Kano.

The latest killings have prompted fresh calls from local leaders for the establishment of a permanent military forward operating base in the affected corridor, as well as accelerated implementation of the North-West Development Commission's programmes to address the socio-economic drivers of the conflict.

Prime Brief Media will continue to track security and rescue efforts across the state as this story develops.

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