Katsina Cleric Raises Alarm as Banditry Forces Closure of 10 Churches

Worsening insecurity in parts of Katsina State has forced the closure of at least 10 churches across several communities, according to a senior cleric in the state.

The Senior Reverend in charge of ECWA in the state, Rev. Daniel Barau, raised the alarm while speaking on the deteriorating security situation affecting communities in the northern region.

Barau said residents in areas such as Kankia, Musawa, Kankara and Malumfashi Local Government Areas have been subjected to persistent attacks by armed groups, including kidnappings, killings and raids that have forced worshippers and church leaders to flee their communities.

He explained that insecurity in the Funtua zone has reached alarming levels, with attacks occurring almost daily. According to him, communities are frequently targeted by bandits who abduct residents, destroy property, and subject survivors to trauma.

“As I am talking to you, there is hardly a day that bandits do not attack a community either in the morning, afternoon or at night. They kidnap people, rape women, steal valuable items and kill anyone who crosses their path,” he said.

The cleric also alleged that armed groups have imposed levies on farming communities, demanding millions of naira before residents can safely access their farmlands for the current farming season. He claimed that some communities were asked to pay between ₦10 million and ₦30 million as a condition for survival and farming activities.

Barau disclosed that more than 20 people had been killed within the affected communities in the last two weeks alone, describing the situation as deeply alarming and unsustainable.

He said the escalating violence had directly impacted Christian worship centres, forcing the shutdown of several churches across affected areas. Churches in locations such as Boraji under Siyyaya Chiefdom, Yan Sako in Musawa and Matazu, and Tagabawa in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area have reportedly ceased operations due to safety concerns.

He further listed abandoned worship centres, including churches in Kakilawa, Sabon Layi Mazoji, Gidan Mai Doki, Jimpi, Gidan Damo, Mararar Kankara and Gidan Na Moni, as well as a Catholic church in Gidan Na Moni and another in Yan Mayu Takalafiya, all of which have been shut or suspended.

Barau appealed to the Federal Government, the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Katsina State Government to urgently strengthen security presence and provide humanitarian assistance to affected communities.

“We are pleading for urgent attention and support from the federal and state governments, including CAN, to assist us by providing adequate security presence and food intervention for victims affected by these attacks,” he said.

He warned that if urgent measures are not taken, more communities risk displacement, further worsening the humanitarian and religious impact of insecurity in the region.