The community of Katapka in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State is currently experiencing heightened tension after bandits killed three soldiers and two members of a vigilante group earlier this week.

The incident on Tuesday afternoon has further escalated tension in Toto, a local government already shaken by previous violent encounters.

The recent cycle of violence started on February 1, 2024, when unidentified gunmen carried out a deadly assault that resulted in three fatalities and extensive property damage in Katapka and Okudu communities.

The Nigerian Army, in response to the escalating violence, had deployed personnel to the area to restore order. But the bandits on February 6 boldly launched a fresh attack, targeting the security forces and local vigilantes.

Abdullahi Aliyu-Tashas, the chairman of Toto Local Government Area, told DAILY POST: “The suspected bandits laid ambush for the military personnel who were on patrol to maintain law and order in the area and killed three of them on the spot.”

Residents in the communities who spoke with DAILY POST said they have been living under fear of another attack.

The Bassa Cultural Development Union, in a statement signed by Emmanuel Gbaji, the chairman of Bassa Community, called on Governor Abdullahi Sule to arrest the perpetrators of these attacks and restore peace to the troubled region.

Aliyu-Tashas, who tried to allay the fears of the people, told DAILY POST that the state government is committed to addressing the situation, stressing that security reinforcements had been dispatched to prevent further unrest.