By Johnson Agu
Armed groups operating across parts of northern Nigeria are increasingly enforcing a parallel system of authority, extorting farmers, regulating agricultural activity and carrying out deadly attacks with little apparent resistance, deepening concerns over the state’s ability to maintain control in key food-producing regions.
In Kano and Katsina states, bandits have reportedly entrenched themselves within major forest reserves, demanding up to ₦50,000 per acre from sugarcane farmers before harvest, according to multiple local accounts cited by The Guardian. Farmers who refuse to comply are said to face intimidation, destruction of crops and threats of violence, forcing many to abandon their farmlands.
The armed groups are reportedly operating from the Rugu Forest in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State and the Falgore Forest in Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano State—both strategically located within the Kano–Katsina agricultural corridor, a major supplier of sugarcane and maize to large markets such as Dawanau Market in Kano.
Local activist Bakatsine, who posts under the handle @DanKatsina50 on X, said the forests have effectively become safe havens where armed groups impose illegal levies and dictate economic activity. Sugarcane farmers are the primary targets, though maize production has also been disrupted.
Security analysts warn that sustained disruption of farming in the region could trigger food shortages and higher prices across northern Nigeria, compounding inflationary pressures already squeezing households.
Despite the presence of military and police checkpoints along Falgore Road, armed groups are reportedly operating within five kilometres of security positions, raising questions about the effectiveness of existing deployments. Residents describe the situation as a gradual takeover, with bandits enforcing rules, collecting “taxes” and exercising control over daily life without visible resistance.
As of press time, neither the Kano nor Katsina state governments nor federal security agencies had issued official responses to the allegations.
Wedding Convoy Attack Deepens Fears
The growing insecurity was underscored on Sunday when bandits launched a deadly attack on a wedding convoy in Unguwar Nagunda community, Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing at least two people and injuring several others.
Among those injured was the bride, according to residents. An unspecified number of wedding guests were also abducted during the assault.
A security source confirmed the incident on Monday, saying residents fled as heavy gunfire erupted when the attackers stormed the area.
“As of this morning, families are still trying to confirm how many people were abducted,” the source said.
Residents said the gunmen arrived suddenly, firing sporadically and creating panic before fleeing with some of the guests to an unknown location. Attempts to obtain official confirmation from the Katsina State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesperson did not respond to calls or messages.
Controversy Over Planned Release of Suspected Bandits
The attack comes amid mounting controversy over the Katsina State Government’s plan to release dozens of detained suspected bandits as part of efforts to sustain what it describes as an “existing peace” agreement with armed groups.
The state government has said such arrangements have previously led to the release of at least 1,000 abducted persons and argued that negotiated settlements are not uncommon in conflict situations globally.
However, public scrutiny intensified after a classified letter dated January 2, 2026, from the Katsina State Ministry of Justice surfaced. The letter, marked “SECRET” and addressed to the Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Musa Abubakar, requested intervention to facilitate the release of suspects facing trial for banditry-related offences.
Signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Abdur-Rahman Umar, the letter disclosed that 48 individuals accused of various banditry offences had been recommended for release as part of conditions tied to the continuation of the peace accord between affected local governments and armed groups. A separate list of 22 inmates facing trial before state high courts was also submitted for similar consideration.
Critics argue that while peace deals may reduce short-term violence, the continued extortion of farmers and attacks on civilians suggest that armed groups remain emboldened, raising fears that concessions could further weaken the rule of law.
For many residents, the reality on the ground points to a widening vacuum of authority—one in which armed groups not only terrorise communities but increasingly govern them.
