Nigeria: Bandits Kill 32 in Sokoto Community

What the report says

Residents in Ungushi community in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State said suspected bandits killed at least 32 people during a prolonged assault that began on Friday afternoon and continued into Saturday and Sunday. The account was published by Daily Trust and distributed by AllAfrica. The residents also said they believed 13 of the attackers were killed by community members during the violence, though that claim was not independently confirmed in the article.

According to witnesses quoted in the report, the attackers entered while worshippers were at Jumu’a prayers, then moved through the town, shooting and forcing people to flee to nearby hills and farms. The residents said some bodies were later recovered and buried on Sunday. They also alleged that the attackers burned homes, shops and vehicles, and later raided nearby communities, where livestock and other property were taken.

The report said displacement was widespread, with families fleeing to larger towns in Sokoto and neighboring Kebbi State. It also noted that telecommunication problems made it difficult to verify conditions in some affected villages. One resident said security forces later arrived, and the Nigerian Army’s 8 Division conducted an operational assessment visit to Kebbe amid renewed attacks linked by the military to the Lakurawa group.

The development underscores continuing insecurity in parts of northwestern Nigeria, where armed groups have repeatedly targeted rural communities, disrupted farming and driven civilians from their homes. The Sokoto State police said they did not have full details but knew the military had visited the area.