Category: News

Suspected bandits launched a deadly late-night attack on Jargaba community in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State on Thursday, killing six men and abducting two women. According to eyewitness accounts, the gunmen stormed the village and headed straight to a popular meeting spot where local men usually gather. Without warning, they opened fire, killing six men on the spot, including an aide to the local Community Watch Corps (CWC) commandant. Two children were also reportedly injured by stray bullets during the chaos. Following the massacre, the attackers invaded a nearby residence and abducted two women, whose whereabouts remain unknown as of the time of reporting. The Katsina State Police Command confirmed the attack. Spokesperson DSP Abubakar Sadiq said, “Yes, bandits attacked the community and shot people. Two died on the spot, while four others who were injured yesterday were confirmed dead today, making a total of six people killed.” However, he added that he could not confirm the abduction case yet, stating, “I will contact the DPO to verify that.” Reacting to the attack, Hon. Abdulrahman Ahmed, who represents Bakori in the Katsina State House of Assembly, condemned the violence, describing it as another grim reminder of the state’s worsening security challenges. “In Jargaba community, bandits attacked a group of six men who were seated and interacting. All six were killed. Two children were also injured, and two women were abducted from a residence,” Ahmed said, expressing sorrow over the tragedy. He extended condolences to the grieving families and called for divine intervention, while assuring that he had contacted security agencies to respond to the crisis and support the affected community. Katsina, like several other states in Nigeria’s northwest, has experienced a surge in deadly attacks and kidnappings by armed groups in recent years.

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has dismissed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project as a scam, citing a lack of transparency and visible impact on Nigerians. Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, Lawal said he does not believe the project addresses the developmental needs of the country. He criticized the current administration for what he described as nonexistent or minimal infrastructure delivery across regions, particularly in the North. “If you ask me, ‘What projects has this government implemented so far that are visible to Nigerians and have impacted their lives?’ I cannot see any,” Lawal said, adding, “In the South-West, I don’t think there is any either. They are still talking about the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway — a project every government mentions, funds, but never completes.” He was especially scathing about the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, calling it a premeditated fraud: “Even before they started, we knew it would be a scam, and it has become a scam.” The highway’s first 30-kilometre phase — from Ahmadu Bello Way to Eleko Village in Lagos — was commissioned by President Bola Tinubu in May 2025. The entire project spans 700 kilometres and is estimated to cost about ₦15 trillion, with the Federal Government securing a $747 million loan in June to support its execution. Lawal questioned the value of such loans, suggesting that borrowed funds are often exhausted overseas before any real development occurs locally. “You borrow money from Europe, and before it comes, it is spent over there. What can Nigerians see? What are they doing with our money?” he queried. The project has faced widespread criticism, including from opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, as well as from property owners affected by demolitions along the construction corridor. Despite the backlash, Minister of Works David Umahi has insisted the coastal highway is a “catalyst for economic growth”, promising it will benefit all regions of the country. “When people stop the suspicion and digest the coastal road project very well, they will know it’s a catalyst for the growth of every state in this country,” Umahi told the Senate Committee on Works in December 2024. As debate over the project continues, public skepticism remains strong, especially amid Nigeria’s mounting debt profile and the lack of visible progress on major infrastructure.