In Nigeria, the Fulani, who are predominantly Muslim, set fire to the parish office and rectory, looted and destroyed parish property and vehicles.
Newsroom (21/08/2025, Gaudium Press ) On August 11, Fulani bandits in Nigeria targeted St. Paul’s Catholic parish church in Aye-Twar, desecrating the sanctuary, torching the parish office and rectory, and looting or destroying property and vehicles. Father Samuel Fila, chairman of the Katsina-Ala Diocese chapter of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests’ Association, described the attack’s toll: “The barbaric attack of August 11, 2025, has brought all pastoral activities to a permanent standstill, as all 26 parishes had long been occupied by armed herdsmen.”
Amid the violence, a Nigerian Air Force bombing raid on August 17 near Jigawa Sawai, close to the Zamfara border, targeted a criminal hideout, enabling the escape of 62 kidnapped individuals. Many had been abducted during a nighttime raid by a Fulani gang in Sayaya village on August 11. While the operation marked a rare success, it underscores the persistent threat of kidnappings and banditry.
“The people of Katsina State deserve to live in security, not fear,” declared Acting Governor Farouk Lawal Jobe in a fervent appeal to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on August 20, 2025, urging immediate federal intervention to curb the spiraling security crisis in Nigeria’s far north. Jobe’s plea follows a string of brutal attacks, including a massacre that claimed at least 27 lives in a mosque in Unguwar Mantau on August 19, highlighting the relentless violence plaguing the region.
“We respectfully request the President to issue appropriate instructions to all security agencies to resolutely put an end to the unjustified attacks on our peaceful communities,” Jobe stated, emphasizing the urgency of restoring safety to Katsina’s beleaguered residents.
The Unguwar Mantau massacre, attributed to a retaliatory raid by bandits, was sparked by a village ambush that killed several gang members the previous weekend. Local sources report that the bandits stormed the mosque during early morning prayers, catching worshippers off guard and leaving a trail of devastation. This incident is part of a broader wave of violence that has gripped Katsina, driven by porous borders, armed gangs, and inadequate security measures.
The insecurity has also crippled Katsina’s education system. A recent Oxford Policy Management study revealed that between 2020 and 2025, approximately 330 students and 14 teachers were kidnapped, five teachers were killed, and 52 schools in the Batsari, Faskari, and Kankara Local Government Areas were shuttered due to ongoing threats.
Compounding the crisis is Katsina’s porous border with Niger, which facilitates the influx of Islamists, armed gangs, and contraband. On August 20, local customs authorities seized a significant quantity of illegally imported drugs, including tramadol, a painkiller fueling the region’s illicit drug trade.
As Katsina grapples with this multifaceted crisis, Acting Governor Jobe’s call for decisive action resonates as a plea for survival. Without swift and coordinated federal intervention, the state’s residents face an uncertain future, caught between fear and the hope for lasting security.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Agenzia Fides
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