The forests of northwestern and central Nigeria are infested with criminal gangs, known locally as the « bandits »who kill or kidnap the inhabitants after looting and burning their homes.
On Wednesday July 20 in the evening, a group of about 300 “bandits » on motorcycles attacked a police station near the village of Gatakawa, Kankara district, killing five officers, according to local police spokesman Gambo Isah.
Separately, at least nine people were killed on Tuesday and Wednesday in other attacks on four villages in neighboring Faskari district, according to local official Musa Ado, who attributed the violence to the same armed gang. “Four villages were attacked and a total of nine people were killed, the village of Ruwan Goduya lost six people”Mr. Ado said. “One person was killed in each of the other three villages, where the bandits stole cattle and other goods”he added.
The « bandits » have recently stepped up attacks in Katsina State, operating from neighboring Zamfara State, their main base. Although these gangs are motivated by greed and have no ideology, the Nigerian authorities fear that they are forging links with the jihadist groups that have been waging an insurgency in northeastern Nigeria for thirteen years.