Bandit attacks displace over 100 communities in Kaduna State, some forced into negotiations

Tabara Kato, National President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union, stated that more than 100 communities have been displaced, with 35,402 residents affected. However, Luka Binniyat, former spokesman for the association and current spokesman for the Middle Belt Forum, claims 245 communities have been sacked, leading to approximately 150,000 internally displaced persons in Southern Kaduna alone. Kato attributes the attacks primarily to land grabbing and resource control, alleging that armed attackers are sponsored to dislodge indigenous communities from mineral-rich areas.

He noted that some overrun communities have been renamed and are now occupied by strangers. Kato urged the Federal Government and security agencies to investigate the financing of these attacks. Binniyat highlighted the humanitarian crisis and the creation of a security vacuum, which he described as a haven for terrorists and kidnappers.

He called for coordinated operations to reclaim occupied communities and facilitate the return of displaced residents, also urging rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. Meanwhile, several communities in Kachia Local Government Area have reportedly been compelled into informal "peace" arrangements with armed groups. Residents, including Jessy Francis from Mai-Ido Kufai, des