Katsina State, June 26, 2025 In a brazen escalation of violence, armed bandits led by notorious kingpin Babaro stormed and seized control of Kankara Local Government Area in Katsina State today. The assailants have imposed a strict ban on farming, killed numerous residents, and forced the collapse of essential services, leaving the region in turmoil. According to Leadership
How It Unfolded
Security analyst Bakatsine revealed via X that Babaro’s faction triggered widespread panic. From Marabar Kankara to Yantumaki, entire communities have been terrorized, villagers killed or kidnapped, markets and schools shuttered, and farmland left abandoned in fear.
Violence on the Rise
This seizure follows multiple lethal raids across the LGA. Earlier this month, bandits killed over 24 people, including farmers, residents, and vigilante volunteers, during coordinated attacks across villages like Yargoje, Kwakware, Danmarke, Gidan Dawa, and Burdugau. In another incident on June 19, police patrols were ambushed near the Government Science Secondary School, killing a police inspector and injuring others. According to DailyTrust.
Residents have reported stark systemic breakdowns: no schools, no farms, and no clinics. According to Bakatsine, bandits have unilaterally banned farming, dismantling livelihoods and plunging communities into economic desperation.
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Security Response
While unprecedented, this takeover is part of a disturbing pattern. In June, the Nigerian Air Force executed airstrikes targeting Babaro’s camps in Matallawa Hills, neutralizing several rebels, yet pockets of insurgents remain active in Kankara. According to PMNews.
The takeover of Kankara LGA by Babaro’s bandits is a stark indication of Nigeria’s escalating northwestern insecurity. Without decisive security intervention and community support, this violent occupation may deepen poverty and instability. Restoring order, protecting farmers, and re-establishing civic services must be urgent national priorities.
