Tension is mounting in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State following a series of armed attacks allegedly carried out by bandits crossing over from neighbouring Katsina State.
Residents say the armed gangs have repeatedly invaded their villages in recent weeks, injuring people, rustling livestock, and forcing many families to flee their homes.
Leader of the Farin-Ruwa community, Alhaji Yahaya Bagobiri, appealed to both the federal and Kano State governments to urgently intervene before the situation worsens.
He said many residents have started relocating to Kano metropolis and nearby towns due to incessant attacks.
Bagobiri explained that the bandits launched fresh assaults last Tuesday and Wednesday, injuring several people and stealing dozens of cattle. He identified the most affected communities as Farin-Ruwa, Kuraku, Gorantuse, Saure, and Shadu, adding that residents now live in fear of further attacks.
He said the bandits attacked again two days ago, wounding some residents and carting away more than 40 cows, alongside other animals and valuables.
A resident, who spoke to the BBC Hausa Service on condition of anonymity, said the raids have persisted for the past two to three months, with the communities suffering huge losses.
According to him, the attackers have invaded the area about seven or eight times, and the value of livestock and property lost cannot be quantified.
The resident added that during the latest attack, the gunmen stole several herds of cattle estimated at between 800 and 1,000, though no abductions were recorded this time.
He explained that in previous incidents, the assailants often opened fire at the local market in Farin-Ruwa, leaving some residents injured.
He noted that while the motive of the attackers remains unclear, locals suspect that the community’s relative wealth in livestock may have made it a target. “In the past, we only heard of such attacks from afar, but now they have become our daily reality,” he said sorrowfully.
For years, Kano has been considered one of the most stable states in Nigeria’s North-West region, even as neighbouring states such as Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Kaduna continue to grapple with persistent banditry and kidnappings.
However, the latest incursions have sparked fears that the violence may now be spreading into Kano.