Four Killed, Six Abducted in Separate Attacks Across Kebbi and Sokoto

A previously unknown terrorist faction named Mamudawa has carried out assaults on multiple communities within the Shanga area of Kebbi State, resulting in the deaths of four people. These violent acts occurred on Sunday and Monday in the Gebbe District of Shanga Local Government Area.

The attackers reportedly infiltrated the communities from Wawa Forest, located in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, to perpetrate the assaults. A resident, Yisa Ahmed, reported that several buildings in the Kalkami, Tungar Bori, and Kawara communities were set on fire during the onslaught. Kawara village itself was reportedly razed on Monday.

The Shanga Local Government Area has been a frequent target of bandits, cattle rustlers, and kidnappers demanding ransom. Just days prior, twelve soldiers and a police officer were killed by terrorists identified as Lakurawa in the same vicinity.

One local, speaking anonymously, indicated that the full extent of casualties was still unconfirmed but estimated that at least four individuals lost their lives. Adamu Hamza Gebbe, the Vice Chairman of Shanga Local Government Area, acknowledged the incident, stating that such attacks are not uncommon in the region.

Alhaji Haruna Usman, the District Head of Gebbe, confirmed that residents from the affected villages have fled. Some have sought refuge in Gungu, while others remain in the forest for their safety.

The Kebbi State Police Command corroborated the reports, identifying the Mamudawa terrorist group as responsible for the attacks in Gebbe, Kawara, Kalkami, and surrounding villages. SP Bashir Usman, the command’s spokesperson, noted in a statement that the terrorists exploited the wetland terrain, leading to the burning of parts of these communities and the tragic loss of lives.

In a separate incident in Sokoto State, armed bandits raided Gazau village in Isa Local Government Area early Monday morning, abducting six residents. A relative of the victims, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that the assailants entered the village around 1:00 a.m. and initially took 13 people, comprising 12 women and one man.

The group reportedly stopped at Dan Adama forest, where they instructed individuals from the same household to identify themselves. This led to the release of one person for every two from the same family, reducing the number taken.

Ultimately, six individuals were taken to the bandits' hideout, while seven others were released. The abducted persons have been identified as Asabe Zakariya, Inno Ibrahim, Inno Musa, Umma Yusuf, Safina Abdullahi, and Saminu Jijji.

The source further conveyed that the bandits issued threats to continue daily attacks on the village unless the residents sought amnesty from them. Attempts to reach the Chairman of Isa LGA, Sharehu Abubakar Kamarawa, were unsuccessful, and the Police Public Relations Officer for Sokoto State Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, did not respond to inquiries.