Shanono Residents Fear Bandit Attacks in Kano State

Residents of the Shanono Local Government Area in Kano State have expressed their concerns regarding ongoing assaults by armed bandits, who are reportedly crossing over from the neighboring Katsina State to instill fear in their communities.

In a briefing to the press, Alhaji Yahaya Bagobiri, the leader of the Farin-Ruwa community, urged both the federal and state governments to take immediate action before the situation escalates further.

“We are calling on President Bola Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to come to our aid. Many residents have begun to flee their homes towards Kano metropolis and surrounding towns due to the continuous attacks,” Bagobiri stated.

He reported that the bandits carried out new attacks last Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in injuries to several individuals and the theft of numerous cattle.

Shanono, situated approximately 85 kilometers from the state capital, shares borders with Kankiya, Musawa, and Danja local government areas of Katsina State, all of which are recognized as hotspots for bandit activities.

Bagobiri identified the communities most affected as Farin-Ruwa, Kuraku, Gorantuse, Saure, and Shadu, emphasizing that residents now live in constant fear of additional assaults.

“Just two days ago, the bandits struck again, injuring some residents and stealing over 40 cows, along with other livestock and property,” he remarked.

A local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, informed the BBC Hausa Service that the attacks have been ongoing for the last two to three months.

“They have invaded our area approximately seven or eight times now. The losses are significant; I cannot even estimate the value of the livestock and property we have lost,” the resident lamented.

He stated that during the most recent assault, the assailants took several herds of cattle, estimated to be between 800 and 1,000.

“This time, they did not take anyone hostage, but they did shoot some individuals. In earlier assaults, they would shoot people at our local market in Farin-Ruwa,” he recounted.

He further mentioned that although the reason behind the attackers’ actions remains ambiguous, local residents believe that the community’s relative affluence in livestock may have rendered it a target.

“Previously, we only heard about such attacks from a distance, but now they have become a part of our daily existence,” he expressed with sadness.

For many years, Kano State has been viewed as one of the few relatively tranquil states in Nigeria’s North-West region, even as neighboring states such as Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Kaduna have suffered from ongoing bandit attacks, kidnappings, and cattle theft. However, the recent incursions into certain areas of Kano have sparked concerns that the violence, which had long been contained in surrounding states, may now be encroaching into Kano.