Residents flee Kano communities as bandits close in

Panic has gripped border communities in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, as waves of bandit attacks have forced hundreds of residents to flee their homes. Within the past week, several villages have emptied out, with families seeking safety in Faruruwa community and Shanono town.

Many have abandoned their houses, farms, and livestock amid reports that bandits, escaping military pressure in neighboring Katsina and other North West states, are now infiltrating Kano’s border villages.

According to findings, the incursions have been ongoing for weeks. One displaced resident, Sabiu Bako (not real name), from Santar Abuja village, said the fear of attacks has kept people away from their homes.

“Between Saturday and Thursday, we have not been at home. We are constantly afraid because they can come anytime. We usually gather in Faruruwa to seek refuge or go to Shanono town.“Our entire village is empty now. Some of us are sleeping in the streets, others in farmlands or inside people’s houses. I have four wives and 24 children – all now displaced into other people’s homes in Faruruwa,” he said.

Residents from villages including Unguwar Kudu, Yan Kwada, Malamai, Santar Abuja, Unguwar Tsamiya, Goron Dutse, Tudun Fulani and Kulki are said to have fled, leaving their belongings and crops behind.

“Staying in these villages now is like suicide,” Bako added, noting that only a few young men dare to return briefly during the day to tend to their farms before retreating by afternoon.

A community leader in Faruruwa who is hosting displaced families said his house is overcrowded.“I cannot tell you the number of people inside my house. It is filled. Some even sleep in the compound. The situation is beyond imagination; we are only praying it ends soon,” he said.

Another elderly resident said that he and his extended family — including children, spouses and grandchildren — are now in Faruruwa, while some relatives have relocated to urban Kano.

A senior community leader described the exodus as unprecedented.“People are leaving their houses, farms and everything behind. Every day, more vehicles are leaving with families. Just yesterday, someone came to me asking for a letter, saying he was going to seek refuge elsewhere but didn’t even know where he was headed.“What is causing more panic is that people who have never heard gunfire in their lives now hear it right behind their homes. It is terrifying,” he said.

He added that 276 households from Santar Abuja alone are now sheltering in Faruruwa.

Residents acknowledged that the presence of security operatives in recent days has reduced the attacks.“We are thankful for the visible security presence. Without them, we don’t know what would have happened to us,” one of the displaced persons said.

Among those displaced are women and children facing hunger, fear, and illness.

Aisha Muhammad, one of Bako’s wives, recounted how they fled in the night after hearing gunshots.“We just picked our children and ran barefoot. We didn’t even lock the doors. We came here with nothing, except the cloths we were wearing.“Every night we sleep in fear, even here. The children cry whenever they hear any sound,” she said.

Hauwa Ibrahim, a mother of six from Unguwar Tsamiya, said they rely on food donations from locals.“It’s been five days now and we haven’t gone back home. We cook with other women, sharing whatever anyone brings. My husband still goes to check our farm, but he comes back before noon,” she said.

For Rabi Sani, whose husband and eldest son were away when the attacks began, life has become unbearable.“I don’t even know where my husband is. He was on his farm when the gunshots started. We ran to Faruruwa and haven’t seen him since. I am taking care of my three children alone,” she said tearfully.

Fatima Yusuf, from Goron Dutse, said she shares a small room with other displaced women.“We sleep on mats. The place is crowded; and we can hardly breathe at night. Some of the children are sick, coughing and having fever because of the cold,” she said.

Another woman, Maryam Bello, said her family lost their livelihood to the attacks.“Our millet and maize farms are there, but we can’t go back. Everything is wasting. My husband says he will try to harvest secretly next week, but we are scared that he might not return,” she said.

(DAILY TRUST)