By Dalena Reporters l January 1, 2026
KATSINA, NIGERIA — In a stark reminder of Nigeria’s worsening rural insecurity, armed terrorists on New Year’s Day launched a deadly assault on Unguwar Galadima in Kusada Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing many residents and injuring dozens more, even as a recent peace deal between terrorist leaders and Nigerian government authorities was touted as a breakthrough for regional stability.
The attackers struck in the early hours of January 1, firing indiscriminately at villagers and burning homes before fleeing into surrounding bushland, according to eyewitness accounts. Survivors said the violence began without warning, scattering families and forcing desperate attempts to flee the settlement. Local health facilities received dozens of wounded civilians, many of whom were treated for gunshot wounds, burns, and trauma.
The assault comes less than one week after a controversial state-level peace accord between Katsina authorities and self-described “bandit leaders,” which was widely publicised as a pilot effort to end years of insurgency and kidnapping in the region. The agreement brokered with the involvement of local elders and security intermediaries pledged amnesty and conditional reintegration for repentant bandits in exchange for cessation of attacks. However, critics have questioned both its legitimacy and enforceability, arguing that many criminal cells were excluded from negotiations and remain outside the influence of traditional leaders.
Elder Ibrahim Musa, a community leader in Kusada, described the attack as a “tragic betrayal of trust” and lamented what he called the “illusory promise” of peace. “We welcomed the peace talks with hope, but this morning’s carnage shows that many bandits are not party to these deals,” he said. “Our people are tired of violence and want real security — not empty words.
The casualties included three confirmed fatalities, while local health officials report that more than 40 people were hospitalised with varying degrees of injury. Among the wounded were a number of women and children, many of whom were transported by makeshift vehicles to receive urgent care.
Security responses were reportedly delayed due to the early morning timing of the attack and the community’s remote location. State police command sources say reinforcements were dispatched from Katsina city, but residents contend that the force arrived only after the bandits had withdrawn. Officials have not yet commented publicly on the incident.
Civil society advocates have decried the failure of the peace process to protect vulnerable populations, calling for a reassessment of engagement strategies and a stronger security presence in high-risk zones. They argue that isolated agreements with select actors, without broader disarmament and accountability mechanisms, risk legitimising criminal networks without delivering safety for ordinary citizens.
The attack underscores the persistent challenge of banditry in northwest Nigeria, where longstanding grievances, economic desperation, and the proliferation of small arms continue to fuel cycles of violence and insecurity. As communities mourn the dead and care for the wounded, questions are mounting over how peace agreements can be made more inclusive, enforceable, and protective of civilian life.