Suspected bandits have killed seven people and rustled about 70 cows in communities under the Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, forcing residents to flee their homes.

The assailants, who reportedly invaded Kano from neighbouring Katsina State on Tuesday, also kidnapped 10 residents and allegedly extorted over ₦15 million in ransom from the predominantly Fulani communities.

The affected villages include Faruruwa, Kuraku, Gorondutse, Tsaura, and Yanshadu—all in the Shanono Local Government Area.

Addressing journalists on Thursday in Kano, Chairman of the Shanono Community Security Committee, Alhaji Yahaya Umar Gogobir, said the latest attack on the Faruruwa community had worsened the already fragile security situation in the area.

According to him, the bandits—about 50 in number—stormed Faruruwa on motorcycles at night, killing breadwinners and carting away livestock.

Gogobir, who decried the incessant bandit attacks from Katsina since 2022, expressed concern over the inadequate security presence in the area, saying it had eroded public confidence in the authorities’ ability to curb the menace.

“So far, we have lost more than 10 prominent members of our communities to bandit attacks. More than 1,600 livestock have been rustled, and we have paid several millions of naira in ransom,” he said.

“Tuesday’s invasion is one of several attacks on our communities. Our families can no longer sleep with both eyes closed. Villagers are relocating from Faruruwa, Kuraku, Gorondutse, Tsaura, and Yanshadu to Kano city for fear of further attacks.”

Reacting to the frequency of the assaults, Gogobir said the bandits move freely due to poor security coverage. He lamented that despite several reports sent to the Commissioner of Police and the state government, the situation remains unchanged.

“The bandits find it convenient to enter our communities at will—sometimes at night, in the morning, or even in the afternoon. They usually ride in groups of three on motorcycles, shooting sporadically and driving away our cows.

“They can spend hours operating without any response from the security forces. We have only 10 operatives of the joint task force with one vehicle covering all the communities. How can they confront these attackers?”

The community leader appealed to the federal government for urgent intervention to prevent the total collapse of local security and livelihoods.

“We are calling on the federal government to come to our rescue, to save our communities and restore the economic survival of our people. If left unchecked, this could lead to a bigger crisis in Kano,” he warned.