Fresh waves of violence have rocked parts of Northwestern Nigeria, leaving at least ten people dead in Kebbi State, sparking widespread panic in neighbouring Sokoto, where bandits have demanded a ₦15 million levy from residents.
In Kebbi, tragedy struck the Tilli community in Bunza local government area on Sunday, when suspected Lakurawa terrorists launched a reprisal attack on a Fulani settlement, killing no fewer than ten herders and injuring several others.
Local sources said the attack was triggered by the earlier killing of a vigilante member by suspected bandits in the area. The vigilante’s death was reportedly blamed on Fulani residents, prompting an angry mob to retaliate.
“The reprisal attack was carried out in error. They thought the Fulani were responsible for the vigilante’s death. Over ten people were killed, while several others sustained injuries. The search for more bodies is still ongoing”, a resident told newsmen.
Following the incident, the Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, alongside officials of the Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), visited the affected community to commiserate with families of the victims.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, said he was yet to receive an official briefing on the attack but assured that the Command was investigating the incident.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Sokoto State, palpable fear has gripped residents of Bazar community in Yabo local government area after suspected bandits demanded a ₦15 million levy to avert a deadly assault.
According to residents, the assailants warned that failure to pay could lead to large-scale destruction of farmlands and loss of lives. A resident, Dauda Umar, confirmed that the bandits had earlier attacked the town on Friday night, abducting seven people, including the village head, who was later released alongside five others after being threatened not to report the incident.
“They’ve attacked us before, and they know our town very well. Now they’re demanding ₦15 million or they’ll return to kill and destroy our farms. Our people are terrified,” Umar said, appealing for urgent government intervention.
The Sokoto State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmed Rufa’i, said the Command was not yet aware of the alleged levy demand but assured that surveillance and patrols would be intensified in the affected areas.
Security analysts warn that the escalating wave of reprisal killings, extortion, and armed attacks across the North-West underscores the growing impunity of armed groups like the Lakurawa network, which has been active in both Sokoto and Kebbi States. Between January and June 2025 alone, the group was linked to several deadly assaults that claimed 59 lives and disrupted communication networks.
Residents in both states have urged the Federal and State Governments to step up coordinated security operations and address the root causes of the crisis before it spirals further out of control.
