For years, residents of several communities in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State have lived in trepidation due to incessant attacks by suspected bandits, as most of such attacks resulted in deaths, abductions for ransom, and the rustling of animals.

Several of these communities, including Karadu’a, Matazu A and B, Disse Shira-Shire, Gidan Mazadu, Kakilawa, and Dogon Tsamiya, among others, have had their markets, schools, and other public facilities closed down, with residents often forced to seek refuge in neighboring communities or the council’s headquarters.

Farming, which is a major occupation for most of them, was left unattended as many victims were either killed by bandits or abducted for ransom while tilling or harvesting crops on their farmlands.

But recently, the situation is said to have changed for the better, as government officials and residents alike say there has been a significant reduction in the spate of attacks.

They say residents who fled their communities have returned, farming and market activities have resumed, and schools and other public places that were under lock and key have been reopened.

Speaking on the issue, Executive Chairman of the council, Shamsudeen Sayaya, said, “Before now, bandits used to operate in some communities in Matazu Local Government Area like they were adhering to a timetable of sorts.”

Sayaya lamented, “There was a period when bandits, most times in large numbers, attacked communities on a daily basis for 49 days non-stop.”

But the council boss, while expressing happiness over the development, said attacks by bandits had significantly reduced in recent times, especially in the latter part of last year and this year.

“There have been no attacks by bandits in the past 20 days or more, and many people in affected communities are now going about their normal businesses,” he said.

Residents and government officials in other security-prone councils who spoke on the situation in their areas gave similar verdicts, even though they were quick to admit that infrequent pockets of attacks still take place from time to time.

These residents and government officials include those in councils such as Musawa, Malumfashi, Funtua, Bakori, Danmusa, Dutsinma, Jibia, Safana, Batsari, and Faskari, among others.

Like most states in the northwest region, Katsina has been grappling with security challenges brought about by the activities of bandits, also known as terrorists, especially in councils located close to forest reserve areas.

Hundreds of people have lost their lives, with thousands said to have been abducted for ransom, while animals—said to be in the millions—have been rustled since the security challenge reared its ugly head in the state more than a decade ago.

At the height of the security challenge during the administration of former Governor Aminu Masari, efforts were made to tackle the situation through the use of kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.

In addition to the use of security operatives, Masari also initiated a peace deal or amnesty program for suspected bandits, and several of them who surrendered their arms were reintegrated into society.

The peace deal, which was brokered on two occasions, however, fell through as many of the bandits who had embraced peace reneged on agreements reached.

This made incumbent state governor, Dr. Dikko Radda, vow not to enter into any peace accord with bandits, even though he said his government would conditionally accept any bandit who decides to renounce banditry and embrace peace.

At the time Radda came into office in 2023, he lamented that 22 council areas of the state were directly or indirectly affected by the security challenge and that efforts would be made to combat the situation.

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Last year, the state government said it had been able to tackle insecurity in 13 of the said 22 councils and that there were ongoing efforts to further reduce the number through joint collaboration with conventional security operatives.

With the recent reduction in the spate of attacks, residents living in security-prone areas say respite has come for them and that socio-economic activities have picked up in several of their communities.

They add that they now go about their day-to-day activities freely, as it has been weeks or months since they witnessed attacks by bandits.

“The attacks by bandits in our community have significantly reduced for months now; my family and I now sleep with our eyes closed,” Aminu Jibia, a resident of Unguwar Batsaka in Jibia Council Area, exclaimed.

Kabir Mohammed, another resident of Kasai Village in Batsari Council Area, said that though attacks had not completely stopped, the security situation in the community had greatly improved compared to before.

“We went back to our farms last year, and the harvest was quite surplus. We have also begun to take manure to our farms and make arrangements for this year’s farming season. We are grateful to God for that,” Mohammed said.

Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of Sabuwa Local Government Area, Farouk Hayatu, said insecurity had been brought to a standstill in the area by the diligent efforts of security operatives and that markets that had been closed had been reopened for business.

Hayatu said, “The security situation used to be severe in my local government area, and night sleep used to be difficult for many, as that was when they (bandits) carried out most of their attacks.

“But the situation has greatly improved as insecurity has been brought to a standstill, while markets, schools, and other public places that were closed have been reopened for business.”

On his part, the state chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Hon. Ya’u Gwajo-Gwajo, said that due to the improved security situation, 97 percent of farmlands were cultivated during last year’s farming season across the state.

He added, “Last farming season, only about three percent of farmlands were not cultivated by farmers. The improved security situation had allowed farmers to plant and harvest their crops with little or no hassles, even in the security-prone council areas.”

Gwajo-Gwajo expressed optimism that this year’s farming season may even be better than the last, as more farmers are expected to plow their farmlands due to the improved security situation.

When asked, most residents and council chairmen said the improved security situation was due to the untiring efforts of the Joint Task Force (JTF), consisting of local and conventional security operatives who work daily to tackle insecurity in their respective areas.

They also said the recent addition of more operatives to the JTF, through the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KTSCWC), had largely been responsible for the significant decrease in attacks by bandits in recent times.

The KTSCWC, simply referred to as CWC, is a state government-owned security outfit established shortly after Radda assumed office in 2023. The outfit was initially about 1,400-man strong but was increased last year by 550 members, bringing it to over 2,000 members.

According to reports, members of the outfit were selected from security-prone communities, some of whom had directly or indirectly been victims of banditry, and are permanently stationed in their respective council areas of origin.

Their advantage, according to government officials, includes being familiar with the terrain in which they operate and having been trained by a combined team of military, police, and State Security operatives in physical combat, weapons operation, and intelligence gathering.

Despite the enthusiasm over the reduction in the spate of attacks, some observers have expressed pessimism, adding that the relative peace is temporary, as attacks are still being carried out by bandits on an almost daily basis in parts of the state.

As a way of ensuring the gains recorded are sustained, experts have called for more community involvement in the state’s security affairs, especially through the sharing of vital information with security operatives.

A security expert and former Director of State Security, Ibrahim Ahmed-Katsina, said there was a need for communities to take ownership of their security and not depend on the government all the time.

“You see, the government alone cannot do it. The security forces cannot reach out to everybody everywhere. But with support, we can overcome these challenges,” he said.