…As bandits sack 17 towns, kill, abduct dozens
Fear and despair have gripped communities in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State as bandit attacks escalate, leaving behind a trail of death, abductions, and mass displacement.
From Dukura to Dalijan, Fakku, and Ingushi, residents recount nights of terror, villages raided, livestock stolen, homes torched, and families torn apart. What was once a peaceful farming belt has now become a battlefield where survival is a daily struggle.
At a press conference on Saturday, community leaders led by Adamu Haruna of Kebbe town painted a harrowing picture of life under siege.
“Our lives are in danger. They have taken our property, our livestock, and now they have started abducting people. We can’t farm anymore. People are getting desperate”, Haruna said, his voice breaking with emotion.
In one of the latest assaults, a man in Dukura was killed for resisting abduction, while in Dalijan, bandits made away with herds of cattle and later ambushed more animals at a watering point. The attackers reportedly swept through Ingushi, Gwalli, and other nearby villages, leaving destruction before security forces could intervene.
Another resident, Tukur Muhammadu from Fakku, said their once-safe town has turned into a ghost settlement.
“They’ve scattered our communities and are demanding tens of millions in ransom. Seventeen towns around Fakku are now deserted,” he lamented. “We’ve appealed to the state government for help, but there’s been no response”.
Residents estimate that over ten people have been killed, more than 500 livestock rustled, and hundreds displaced as the wave of attacks spreads. “If the government cannot give us food or money, the least we ask for is security”, Muhammadu pleaded.
When contacted, the state governor’s Special Adviser on Security, Ahmed Usman (rtd), acknowledged the deteriorating situation. “We are fully aware of the developments, and the government is doing everything possible to restore peace in affected communities”, he assured.
He added that security operations are being intensified to reclaim the region from criminal groups such as the dreaded Lakurawa, whose growing influence has fueled fear across Sokoto’s southern belt.
Banditry in Sokoto and across Nigeria’s North-West has worsened in recent years, with coordinated attacks reported in Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna. According to data from security monitors, hundreds of people have been killed and thousands displaced since January 2025, as armed groups expand their hold over rural communities.
