A fragile peace agreement between the community of Doma town in Katsina State and local gunmen collapsed, leading to a violent raid that killed at least 21 people, security sources and residents said.
The raid occurred shortly after the breakdown of a truce that had held for about six months, underscoring the fragility of local peace efforts in parts of northwest Nigeria where banditry and armed groups have waged sustained attacks.
Residents described scenes of chaos and destruction as gunmen stormed the town, setting homes and properties ablaze and firing indiscriminately. Survivors told Reuters that the violence left many families terrified and displaced, with urgent calls for government intervention to provide protection and restore order.
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“Killed have been buried hastily; the living are counting losses and praying for safety,” one resident said, urging authorities to deploy security forces to the area.
The collapse of the peace deal comes amid broader insecurity in Katsina State and adjacent northwest regions, where bandit attacks, kidnappings and clashes with security forces have intensified over recent years. Local peace committees and negotiated truces have been used intermittently, but their sustainability remains in question.
No official casualty figures have been released by state or federal authorities, and there was no immediate government response to the fresh violence at the time of reporting.