Katsina lawmaker arms constituents after villagers fought bandits with stones

In a shocking display of courage and desperation, residents of Bagari village in Katsina State recently fought off bandits armed with sophisticated weapons using nothing more than stones.

The attack, which left one villager dead and another abducted, highlights the grim reality of insecurity faced by many rural communities in Nigeria.

The villagers’ brave but heartbreaking resistance caught the attention of Hon. Abubakar Muhammad, popularly known as Total, the lawmaker representing Funtua Constituency in the Katsina State House of Assembly. Moved by their plight, Hon. Muhammad has taken a bold step by purchasing weapons for his constituents and organizing training sessions to ensure they can defend themselves more effectively in the future.

For the lawmaker, the story of villagers resorting to stones in the face of heavily armed attackers was not just a tragedy—it was a wake-up call. He believes that no community should be left helpless against criminal elements that kill, kidnap, and terrorize citizens for ransom.

Troubled because of their helplessness, he decided to arm six wards in his constituency, placing the weapons under the supervision of the Community Watch Corps (CWC) and ensuring that residents received training on how to use them responsibly.

“I was troubled when I heard residents use stones to confront bandits; that courage moved me, but it also broke me. It was then I decided to help them with arms”, he said in an interview with RFI.

Over the past months, villages such as Maska, Makera, Ungwan Shanu, and Bagari have endured repeated raids. Survivors told the lawmaker they had called the police during the attacks, but by the time security forces arrived, the bandits had gone.

“They told me that if they had guns, they could have reduced the level of destruction,” he recalled. “Their plea stayed with me.”

The lawmaker stressed that the weapons were not handed out indiscriminately, but were placed under the custody of the Community Watch Corps (CWC), who also trained the locals weapon handling.

“My intention is not to militarise the people; it is to give them a fighting chance until security personnel arrive”, he reiterated.

Abubakar Muhammad’s decision reflects a mood shared across Katsina State. In Malumfashi where another deadly attack recently occurred, residents expressed dissatisfaction with security deployments.

Despite the state purchasing eight Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and the federal government sending additional troops, villagers say the reinforcements remain concentrated in towns, leaving rural communities exposed.

Alhaji Umar Usman of Ungwan Farin Kai said that while the presence of troops has temporarily calmed the situation, the deployment strategy has not reassured locals.

He added that their senator representing Funtua district, Muktari Dandutse, and other politicians visited them and promised to fix the road networks to improve mobility and access.

The Councillor of Na’alma Ward, Usman A. Usman, lamented that armoured vehicles and security personnel were concentrated in Mararaba Kankara instead of protecting villages directly.

He stressed the need for increased deployment along the Bakori–Funtua road, which bandits frequently exploit.

Similarly, Dr. Bala Hussaini, a lecturer at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University (UMYU), criticised both federal and state authorities for adopting what he called a “reactionary approach.”

He faulted the practice of responding only after attacks occurred, describing it as inconsistent with global best practices.

“The government must not wait until lives are lost and property destroyed before acting. They need to take the fight to the bandits’ hideouts and prevent attacks before they happen,” Dr. Hussaini said.

Katsina State Acting Governor Faruk Lawal-Jobe, while hosting the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, urged the deployment of more ground troops and air operations to tackle rising banditry in the state.

Lawal-Jobe pledged the state’s continued support through intelligence sharing and recruitment of locals to aid security operations.

In response, Lt-Gen Oluyede gave assurance of greater military backing and commended the state for its support to the troops.

He also condoled with victims of recent bandit attacks in Malumfashi, stressing that security is a collective responsibility requiring cooperation between the military, government, and citizens.

It was observed that security personnel had yet to be deployed in the recently affected communities in the Malumfashi local government area. Though the situation has been calm in the camps, tension is still high as the government provides interventions to the people.

Meanwhile, Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda cut short his leave to visit the Martau community in Malumfashi Local Government Area, which has recently been the target of renewed bandit attacks.

The governor arrived in the area in the afternoon and immediately began an on-the-spot assessment of the destruction caused by the assailants, who reportedly killed residents, razed houses and displaced families.

Visibly moved by the devastation wreaked by the bandits, Governor Radda commiserated with the victims and pledged that his administration would intensify collaboration with security agencies to restore peace and provide relief materials and support to victims.

(Leadership)