Residents of Shanono Local Government Area in Kano State are living in fear following repeated attacks by armed bandits suspected to be crossing from neighbouring Katsina State.
During a press briefing on Thursday, the leader of Farin-Ruwa community, Alhaji Yahaya Bagobiri, appealed to both the federal and state governments for urgent intervention before the situation worsens.
“We are appealing to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to come to our rescue. Many of our people have started fleeing their homes to Kano metropolis and nearby towns due to incessant attacks,” he said.
Bagobiri explained that bandits recently launched fresh assaults on Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving several people injured and rustling dozens of cattle.
Shanono, located about 85 kilometres from Kano city, shares borders with Kankiya, Musawa, and Danja in Katsina State — all known hotspots for bandit activity.
Although Kano has largely been spared from the widespread banditry affecting other parts of the North-West, the recent incursions have raised fears that the crisis is now spreading into the state.
Bagobiri identified the most affected communities as Farin-Ruwa, Kuraku, Gorantuse, Saure, and Shadu.
“Just two days ago, the bandits attacked again, wounded some residents, and carted away more than 40 cows, besides other animals and properties,” he said.
Another resident, who asked not to be named, said the attacks have been ongoing for the past few months. “They have invaded our area about seven or eight times now,” he revealed. “The losses are enormous — we can’t even quantify the value of the livestock and property we’ve lost.”
He added that during the latest attacks, the gunmen stole several herds of cattle estimated at between 800 and 1,000. “This time, they didn’t abduct anyone, but they shot some people. In previous attacks, they used to shoot people at our local market in Farin-Ruwa,” he said.
The resident noted that while the motive of the attackers remains unclear, locals believe their wealth in livestock might have attracted the bandits.
“In the past, we only heard of such attacks from afar, but now they have become our daily reality,” he lamented.