The Kanam Development Association (KADA) has issued a strongly worded statement condemning renewed and escalating attacks by bandits across Garga communities in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State. The association described the situation as a rapidly deteriorating security emergency that now threatens the survival of several villages and the stability of the wider region.
The National Body of the Kanam Development Association (KADA), in a press statement dated 24th November 2025, expressed deep concern over the third consecutive attack on Garga town within a short period. According to the statement, bandits invaded the community again on Sunday, 23rd November 2025, but were repelled by local residents who mobilised to defend their homes. Despite the resistance, the attackers succeeded in rustling cattle from the Dadinkowa axis, adding to the growing economic losses suffered by the area.
The association further revealed that the onslaught on Garga is part of a broader pattern of ongoing assaults across neighbouring settlements. Five motorcycles were seized by the bandits around Kyaram, an incident believed to have occurred just days earlier. Communities such as Shuwaka and Gwammadaji are reportedly under “relentless siege,” creating widespread panic and forcing scores of residents to flee for safety.
KADA warned that if Shuwaka and Gwammadaji fall to these repeated incursions, the security of the larger Kanam region would be “gravely compromised,” given the strategic importance of the two communities in shielding nearby settlements from penetration by armed groups.
Plateau State, especially areas bordering Bauchi and Taraba, has witnessed a resurgence of banditry in recent years, with several communities in Kanam, Wase, Bassa and Mangu suffering deadly attacks, cattle rustling and mass displacement.
According to the Nigeria Security Tracker (NST) and reports from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on crime patterns, north-central states have recorded a significant increase in rural attacks attributed to bandit groups and armed militias since 2023. Local vigilante groups have become the first line of defence in many communities due to limited state presence.
The association condemned the attacks “in the strongest terms” and urged the Plateau State Government, security agencies and the Federal Government of Nigeria to treat the situation as a full-scale emergency.
KADA called for:
- Immediate deployment of more military and police reinforcements to the Garga region.
- Strengthening of local vigilante networks in coordination with formal security agencies.
- Swift tactical response teams to secure vulnerable communities and prevent further displacement.
- Sustained intelligence operations to dismantle bandit camps operating near the area.
The group commended the bravery of residents who continue to defend their communities despite limited resources and rising threats. It also pledged to provide logistical support, advocacy, and community mobilisation to reinforce local protection efforts.
Residents have reportedly begun fleeing Shuwaka, Gwammadaji, and surrounding areas as fear intensifies. Farmers have abandoned dry-season farming preparations, while cattle owners remain devastated by frequent rustling incidents.
Local leaders say the attacks aim to weaken community structures, destroy livelihoods and sabotage economic activities in the region.
Security analysts warn that if the attacks persist, Kanam LGA may experience further displacement similar to previous crises in Plateau’s hinterlands, where thousands were uprooted between 2021 and 2023 due to communal clashes and banditry.
KADA’s Call for Unity and Faith
In the press statement signed by:
- ND Shehu Kanam, Secretary
- Barr. Garba Gambo Aliyu, Chairman
KADA urged all Kanam people to remain calm but united, emphasising that the situation “demands immediate collective action.”
The organisation encouraged residents to “stand up and defend themselves” while cooperating with security agencies.
The statement concludes with a spiritual appeal for divine protection, declaring:
“Only in Allah do we put our trust.”
The escalating banditry in Garga and surrounding communities represents one of Plateau State’s most urgent security challenges in recent months. With communities increasingly vulnerable and state intervention yet to match the scale of the threat, KADA’s alarm marks a renewed call for decisive government action to prevent a humanitarian and security breakdown in Kanam LGA.
