The numbers are staggering. The stories are horrifying. And the government’s response remains woefully inadequate.
Nigeria’s bandit crisis, which has plagued the country’s northern regions for years, shows no sign of slowing down in 2026. From Katsina to Plateau State, from Kaduna to Kwara, armed gunmen continue to terrorise communities, kill civilians, and abduct hundreds with devastating regularity.
In February 2026, no fewer than 20 people were killed following a fresh attack by suspected bandits on Doma community in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State. The attackers stormed the village at about 2 p.m., killing victims on the spot and destroying property, including a vehicle and residential buildings.
That same week, the attacks kept coming. Suspected herders attacked Anwase market in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, killing 13 persons and destroying several properties — just two days after a similar attack in the same area killed at least 16 people, including a mobile police officer.
The scale of the crisis stretches beyond individual attacks. In late January 2026, more than 160 worshippers were abducted, and on February 3, an armed group attacked two neighbouring Muslim-majority villages in Kwara State, killing over 160 people and abducting dozens.
Security analysts say the bandits operate with increasing sophistication and boldness, moving freely through communities for hours before security forces arrive. Residents of Doma described the attackers as shooting sporadically and setting houses and shops ablaze, operating in the community from noon until after the Asr prayer.
The federal government has responded with military operations and airstrikes, but communities on the ground say it is never enough, never fast enough. Nigerians in the affected regions are not waiting for the government — they are burying their dead and rebuilding their lives, again and again.
This crisis demands more than statements. It demands action.
