BREAKING: In Katsina Terrorists Deliver 6-Day Ultimatum Demanding 700 Cow, 1000 Sheep To Avoid Attack — Odinkalu

In a recent statement via his official X account, human rights lawyer and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, has raised alarm over a reported security threat in parts of northern Nigeria, highlighting the growing challenges faced by rural communities.

‎”In Kankia Local Government Area of Katsina State, NW #Nigeria, terrorists have delivered a written, 6-day ultimatum demanding 700 cows and 1,000 sheep to avoid an attack. Unlike the politicians who are supposed to protect them, the citizens and communities can’t defect!” he wrote.

In his post, Odinkalu drew attention to reports from Kankia Local Government Area in Katsina State, where suspected armed groups allegedly issued an ultimatum to residents, according to the report, the attackers demanded large numbers of livestock, including hundreds of cows and sheep, as a condition to avoid an impending attack.

‎He described the development as deeply troubling, noting that such threats reflect the level of insecurity affecting communities in the region, he said the situation places civilians in an impossible position, where they must choose between losing their livelihoods or facing violent attacks.

‎Odinkalu criticized what he sees as a failure of authorities to provide adequate protection for vulnerable populations and argued that citizens should not be left to negotiate their safety under threat, especially when the responsibility of security lies with the government.

‎According to him, incidents like this highlight the widening gap between official assurances and the reality on the ground and stressed that rural communities, in particular, remain exposed to repeated attacks and intimidation.

‎The senior lawyer pointed out that such demands, if carried out, could have serious economic consequences, livestock represents a major source of income and survival for many families in northern Nigeria, and losing them could deepen poverty and displacement.