At least three operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have been killed following coordinated attacks by suspected bandits on communities in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of Katsina State on Easter Sunday.
The assaults, which targeted Tangani and Sayaya villages, reportedly left several residents dead and heightened fears over worsening insecurity in the region.
The disclosure was made by a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress and former Minister of State for Education, Lawal Batagarawa, who briefed journalists on the incidents.
Batagarawa lamented the recurring wave of violence across northern Nigeria, describing the killings as part of a disturbing pattern of attacks ravaging communities in Katsina and neighbouring states.
He said the policemen, alongside some civilians, were killed while the attacks were ongoing, adding that multiple villages in the affected local government areas came under siege.
“This is a tragic and recurring reality not only in Katsina but also in states like Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, and Plateau, where insecurity has continued to claim lives,” he said.
The opposition figure criticised the government’s handling of security challenges, urging both the Federal and state authorities to prioritise the protection of lives and property.
According to him, failure to guarantee security risks plunging the country into deeper instability.
He also extended condolences to families of the victims, affected communities, and the Nigeria Police Force over the loss of personnel.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to release an official statement confirming the casualty figures or details of the attack.