Terror Sweeps Bauchi’s Gwana District as Bandits Kill 21, Displace Families in Relentless Attacks

A wave of terror has swept through the Gwana district of Alkaleri Local Government Area in Bauchi State, where relentless attacks by suspected bandits have left at least 21 people dead and hundreds of families displaced. The once-peaceful farming communities now lie in fear and mourning, with livelihoods destroyed and residents forced to abandon ancestral homes.

For several days, residents have reported near-daily assaults, with bandits targeting multiple communities, killing indiscriminately, rustling livestock, and burning property. Eyewitness accounts reveal a deepening crisis that has shaken the very foundation of life in Gwana and its neighboring settlements.

Mansur, one of the worst-hit towns, has been turned into a scene of anguish and survival. Speaking from the palace, now converted into a makeshift shelter for the displaced, local resident Isah Suleiman described the horrific events that have befallen his community. “We’ve never experienced this level of violence,” he said. “The attacks come repeatedly. Just last week, a police officer and a vigilante were killed while responding to an emergency call. Eighteen people here have lost close family members.”

Cries for help have grown louder as the violence escalates. Suleiman, who plays a prominent role in the local traditional council, expressed frustration over what he described as inadequate government intervention. “We’ve lived in this land for centuries. Now, we’re being forced out by ruthless attackers who say no force can stop them—not in Bauchi, not in neighboring Gombe,” he lamented.

The bandits are reportedly operating with impunity, taking advantage of the region’s challenging topography. Gwana and surrounding areas sit amid rocky hills and dense forests that offer both concealment and strategic advantage to the criminal elements. The Dajin Madam Forest, in particular, has been identified as a major hideout for the armed groups.

Vigilante groups formed by locals to protect their communities have paid a steep price. In one recent ambush, several members of the patrol unit were slaughtered while monitoring Mansur, Digare, and Yalo communities near the oil exploration site within the LGA. According to local reports, these vigilantes were the last line of defense before the attackers descended on the farming villages.

Just days ago, on May 3rd, another massacre rocked the village of Sabon Sara, where 19 residents—including nine vigilantes—were brutally killed. Hon. Kabir Yusuf, the federal lawmaker representing the constituency, recounted the attack during a motion for urgent security intervention in the National Assembly. He described how the assailants razed homes, rustled over 200 cows, and caused property damage worth millions of Naira.

The ongoing crisis threatens to derail the upcoming farming season. Gwana’s residents are primarily subsistence farmers who were preparing their land for planting. With their homes in ruins and fear hanging thick in the air, many have now abandoned their farms and fled to neighboring areas in search of safety.

Law enforcement agencies have acknowledged the gravity of the situation. Police spokesperson Ahmed Wakil stated that security personnel have been deployed to patrol affected zones, including Duguri, Mansur, and the rugged Dajin Madam forest, which straddles Bauchi and Plateau states. Despite these efforts, residents say the situation remains dire and that more strategic action is needed to reclaim control.

Authorities believe the criminals are exploiting the region's borders with Gombe, Taraba, and Plateau states—areas marked by harsh terrain that complicates security operations. The interconnectedness of these states has made it easier for the attackers to move swiftly between jurisdictions, evading capture and mounting surprise assaults on unsuspecting communities.

This is not the first time Alkaleri LGA has made national headlines. In 2022, it became the focus of attention when then-President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated northern Nigeria’s first crude oil drilling project there. The oil field near some of the affected communities now finds itself at the edge of a humanitarian and security disaster.

Despite the promise of development brought by the oil project, many in Alkaleri feel increasingly abandoned. Residents argue that the same energy invested in harnessing natural resources should be matched in efforts to protect the people and their land.

Traditional institutions have called for immediate and coordinated action. “Security forces must take this seriously and go after the bandits in their hideouts. The government must not wait until we are all displaced,” said Suleiman.

As of now, families remain huddled in makeshift shelters, grappling with grief and uncertainty. With no end in sight to the violence, many fear that the once-thriving agricultural hub of Gwana may never fully recover without swift and decisive intervention.