SaharaReporters gathered that the attack occurred despite two separate peace agreements earlier reached between stakeholders in Funtua Local Government Area and the armed groups operating in the area.
Barely days after the Katsina State Government reportedly sought the release of no fewer than 70 suspected terrorists, bandits on Wednesday night attacked Yar Tafki community in Funtua Local Government Area of the state, killing residents and abducting several others.
SaharaReporters gathered that the attack occurred despite two separate peace agreements earlier reached between stakeholders in Funtua Local Government Area and the armed groups operating in the area.
A security alert issued by a Katsina-based security expert, Malam Bakatsine, confirmed the attack on Thursday.
Katsina State remains one of the flashpoints of banditry in the North-West, with rural communities frequently targeted for killings, kidnappings, and extortion, despite ongoing military operations and local peace initiatives.
As of the time of filing this report, the state government and security agencies had yet to issue an official statement.
SaharaReporters previously reported that fresh controversy had broken out in Katsina State following the surfacing of an official document indicating that the state government initiated steps to secure the release of dozens of suspected bandits currently facing criminal trials.
The document, a letter dated January 2, 2026, and classified as “SECRET,” was issued by the Katsina State Ministry of Justice and addressed to the Chief Judge of the state.
It shows that the ministry requested the intervention of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) to facilitate the release of the detained suspects.
Signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Abdur-Rahman Umar, Esq., the letter disclosed that a list containing the names of 48 individuals accused of various banditry-related offences had been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice by the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.
According to the letter, the proposed release of the suspects is aimed at “facilitating their release from detention, as one of the conditions precedent for the continuance of the peace accord deal signed between the frontline Local Governments and the bandits.”
The Ministry of Justice further revealed that while a handful of the suspects had been arraigned before the Federal High Court, most remained in detention awaiting trial at various Magistrate Courts across Katsina State.
The letter also disclosed that a separate list of about 22 inmates currently facing trial before different High Courts in the state was submitted, with the aim of having them released under the same peace arrangement.
The Ministry urged the Chief Judge to take “necessary action,” arguing that the matter falls within the statutory powers of the Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee under Section 371(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Katsina State, 2021.
The disclosure has sparked outrage and concern among legal practitioners and civil society groups, who warn that releasing suspects accused of serious crimes such as banditry could undermine the rule of law, deny victims justice, and embolden criminal groups.
Meanwhile, the state government has confirmed the document and explained that its decision to initiate the release of 70 individuals suspected of involvement in banditry is aimed at sustaining ongoing peace agreements with armed groups operating in the state.
Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Muazu, said the measure was intended to consolidate accords reached between affected communities and repentant bandits across multiple local government areas.
He noted that the broader peace deal, covering at least 15 local government areas, had already resulted in the release of about 1,000 people abducted during bandit attacks.