By SUNTV Global Channel News Desk
June 25, 2026
KATSINA, Nigeria — A displaced farmer from Katsina State, Aliyu Hassan, has recounted a horrifying ordeal in which armed bandits allegedly poured petrol on him and set him on fire after attacking him on his farmland in Batagarawa Local Government Area.
Hassan shared his experience in an emotional account, describing how he narrowly escaped death by repeatedly rolling on the ground to extinguish the flames.
According to the victim, the attackers ambushed him while he was working on his farm during the planting season.
“I was on my farm when they arrived. When I tried to run, they chased me. They demanded money and my phone, but I told them I had neither,” Hassan said.
He explained that the assailants accused his family of having money and demanded that he lead them to his home. When he informed them that his family had already been displaced by insecurity and no longer lived in the community, the attackers allegedly became violent.
“They dragged me into a nearby hut, tied my hands and legs, poured petrol on my head and body, then set me on fire before leaving,” he recounted.
Hassan said he screamed in agony and rolled repeatedly in the sand until the flames were eventually extinguished.
The victim revealed that a passerby later found him and rushed him to a hospital, where he received emergency treatment before being referred to multiple medical facilities due to the severity of his injuries.
He sustained serious burns to his face, neck, chest and hands.
Despite surviving the attack, Hassan said he and his family remain displaced and unable to return to their village because of continued insecurity.
“We are currently staying among displaced persons in Katsina town. We do not have a proper place to live and rely on food assistance from kind-hearted individuals,” he said.
The farmer identified the attack location as Rumu Village in Batagarawa Local Government Area, adding that about five armed men carried out the assault.
According to him, one of the attackers reportedly remained behind and watched as he struggled to survive while engulfed in flames.
Hassan appealed to government authorities to intensify efforts to restore security across Katsina State and other parts of northern Nigeria affected by banditry.
“We pray that this government will bring peace and allow displaced families to return safely to their homes,” he said.
The incident highlights the ongoing security challenges facing communities in northwestern Nigeria, where thousands of residents have been displaced by persistent attacks from armed groups.
Source: Victim testimony and reports shared on June 25, 2026.
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