Nigeria: Gunmen Kill Police Inspector, 11 Others in Kebbi

What the report says

Residents in several riverine communities in Kebbi State, northwestern Nigeria, have fled after a series of attacks blamed by local officials and residents on suspected Lakurawa and Mamudawa gunmen. According to Daily Trust, the violence hit Karwa, Kestu and Waiwayi in the Besse and Shanga areas between Oct. 22 and Oct. 28, with homes burned, property looted and people killed as the assailants moved along the River Niger bank.

The newspaper said the police confirmed that a police inspector and 11 other people were killed across multiple incidents, though some locals alleged the death toll was higher. Residents described widespread fear and displacement, saying many families left their homes and some survivors were only beginning to return after assurances from security personnel and government officials. The report also linked earlier attacks in nearby communities, including killings in Kaoje area, to the same armed groups.

Police spokesperson SP Bashir Usman said the attacks did not happen in a single place or on one day, and said security teams had been deployed, with investigations under way. The article said joint forces had repelled some assaults, but the insecurity has continued despite the presence of army and police units in parts of Kebbi. The unrest adds to broader concern about banditry and armed group activity in the state, where residents say repeated raids have made daily life increasingly difficult.