A fresh wave of deadly banditry swept through Kebbi and Zamfara states on Saturday, leaving at least 19 people dead and dozens abducted in coordinated attacks that deepened fears over growing insecurity in Nigeria’s northwest region.
In Kebbi State, suspected bandits attacked Waje village in the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area, killing at least 15 farmers and injuring three others. The gunmen reportedly struck in the evening as residents were returning from their farms, opening fire indiscriminately.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants arrived on motorcycles and were armed with sophisticated weapons. “The farmers had just rounded off their work for the day when the attackers came in, shooting anyone in sight,” said a resident, Malam Abdullahi.
While the state police confirmed the incident, spokesperson CSP Nafiu Abubakar put the death toll at 10, noting that three victims were still receiving treatment for gunshot wounds.
Following the attack, Kebbi State Deputy Governor Umar Abubakar Tafida visited the affected community on Sunday and confirmed that 15 people had been killed. He described the massacre as “barbaric and senseless,” and announced a donation of N24 million to assist the victims’ families.
In a separate but equally devastating attack in Zamfara State, bandits stormed Kaura-Namoda town—the headquarters of Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area—around 2 a.m. on Saturday. Four women were killed during the raid, and at least 20 residents, mostly women and children, were abducted.
According to a survivor, Abdullahi Mohammed, the attackers moved from house to house, selecting victims and killing those who resisted. “They operated for over three hours without any response from security forces. Four women who refused to go with them were shot dead on the spot,” he recounted.
Mohammed said the attack validated recent claims by federal lawmaker Aminu Sani Jaji, who last week raised alarm over the deteriorating security situation in the area. Jaji said over 3,000 people had been kidnapped across the Kaura-Namoda/Birnin-Magaji federal constituency, with over 200 taken in recent months alone.
He also disclosed that 10 victims were killed last week in another attack after their families failed to meet a ransom demand of N30 million.
Residents say many communities in the region are now under the de facto control of armed groups, with little to no government presence. “If they can attack the local government headquarters like this, what hope is there for the remote villages?” Mohammed asked.
Efforts to reach the Zamfara State Police Command and the Kaura-Namoda LGA chairman for comments were unsuccessful, as both officials failed to respond to calls and messages.
The dual assaults highlight the persistent and worsening security crisis in Nigeria’s northwest, where rural communities remain under siege by armed bandits despite repeated government assurances of improved safety. Peaceful protests erupted last week in Kaura-Namoda as residents demanded stronger government intervention to end the cycle of killings and kidnappings.
Leave a Reply