Suspected gunmen have stormed Zurum Mahauta in the Gidan Malam Sallau community of Lakwaya village, Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano State, abducting seven residents in a late-night raid.
The incident occurred around midnight on Sunday, residents said.
A community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said security operatives arrived shortly after the attack and went after the assailants.
“The gunmen came around midnight and abducted seven people. Soldiers later arrived and chased after them,” the source said.
As at the time of filing this report, there was no official confirmation on whether the attackers were intercepted, as they were said to have fled the area on motorcycles.
Residents disclosed that communities along the Katsina Kano border had earlier raised alarm over the movement of suspected bandits towards Kano State hours before the abduction.
Sources said the bandits, estimated to be about 20 and riding motorcycles, were sighted around Danjanku village in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, heading towards the Kano axis.
The alert was issued by a Facebook user, Comrade Yarima BK, who shared the information on his verified page, urging residents of Kano State, especially those in Gwarzo and neighbouring communities, to remain vigilant.
“People should be very vigilant. Bandits numbering about 20 on motorcycles were sighted today around Danjanku village in Malumfashi Local Government Area. They are suspected to be heading towards Kano,” the post read.
He also advised residents of Gwarzo and nearby areas, including Shanono, to take precautionary measures.
“Residents of Gwarzo and nearby communities should be extremely careful and take security precautions,” he warned.
After the attack, Comrade Yarima BK lamented that the alert was allegedly ignored until after the incident.
“We alerted the authorities and the public, but the warning was not given the necessary attention until after the attack,” he stated.
Residents further alleged that the gunmen crossed into Kano State from neighbouring Katsina before launching the attack and later retreated through the same route.
The latest incident has again drawn attention to persistent security challenges in border communities between Katsina and Kano states, where criminal elements are said to exploit porous boundaries to carry out kidnappings and other attacks before escaping.
