Residents of several border communities in a local government area of Kano State have fled their homes after a wave of bandit attacks that left villages deserted over the past week, Daily Trust reports.
Dozens of families are now sheltering in nearby towns and communities, abandoning their homes, farms, and livestock amid rising insecurity.
Local residents said the attacks followed increased military operations and peace deals in neighbouring northwestern states, which have pushed armed groups toward Kano’s border villages.
“The entire village is empty now,” said one displaced resident. “Some of us sleep on the streets, others in people’s houses. I have four wives and 24 children — all now displaced.”
Residents from several communities were reported to have fled. Only a few young men return briefly to tend their farms during the day before retreating to safety.
A community leader said his house was overcrowded with displaced people. “Some even sleep in the compound. The situation is beyond imagination,” he said.
Another elder said his extended family had taken refuge in a nearby community, while some relatives had relocated to urban Kano. “Every day, more vehicles leave with families,” he said. “People who had never heard gunfire now hear it behind their homes. It is terrifying.”
He added that hundreds of households from one village alone were seeking shelter.
Some residents acknowledged that security patrols had recently increased, helping to reduce attacks in the last two days. “We are thankful for the visible security presence,” one displaced man said.
Women among the displaced described nights of fear and hardship. One woman said she fled barefoot with her children after hearing gunfire. “We came here with nothing. The children still cry whenever they hear any sound,” she said.
Another woman said families were surviving on shared food donations. “We cook with whatever anyone brings,” she said.
Authorities in Kano have commended the military for its swift response to the attacks and pledged additional support to security agencies operating in affected areas.
Officials announced the donation of patrol vehicles and motorcycles to security forces and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting ongoing operations against banditry and kidnapping.
Military commanders have visited frontline bases to assess the situation and encourage troops to remain vigilant and maintain coordination with other agencies to secure the Kano–Katsina border, identified as a major bandit route.
The visit followed a recent attack in which security personnel and members of a local vigilante group were killed.
Troops deployed in the area include personnel from the Nigerian Army, Air Force, Police, and local joint task forces.