Residents across multiple communities in the Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State have raised alarm over a sharp surge in deadly Terrorists attacks, which have caused killings, abductions, displacement, and widespread fear.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, community leaders led by Alhaji Adamu Haruna from Kebbe town described the security situation as dire.
Haruna warned that without urgent government intervention, citizens might feel compelled to take the law into their own hands.
“Our lives are in danger. They have taken our property, our livestock, and now they have started abducting people,” Haruna said.
He added, “We’re no longer allowed to farm, and our belongings are being confiscated. People are getting desperate.”
Residents reported that the attacks have become increasingly coordinated. In Dukura, a man was reportedly killed for resisting abduction.
In Dalijan, Terrorists reportedly seized herds of cattle and later ambushed animals at a local watering point.
The assailants moved through multiple communities including Ingushi and Gwalli, leaving destruction in their wake before security forces could respond.
“People are living in fear. These criminals are threatening to stop us from harvesting our crops. Another group called Lakurawa has a growing grip on the region,” Haruna added.
Tukur Muhammadu, a resident of Fakku, said the town was previously untouched, but that changed when bandits stormed the area, killing several people and abducting over 30 residents.
“They’ve scattered our communities and are demanding ransoms of tens of millions of naira,” Muhammadu said.
He added, “Seventeen towns in the Fakku axis are now deserted. We’ve appealed to the state government for help, but there has been no response.”
Farmers in Kucchi and surrounding villages are reportedly afraid to return to their fields despite it being harvest season, while shops have been looted and some shop owners remain in captivity.
So far, over ten people have been confirmed dead, and more than 500 livestock rustled in the ongoing attacks.
With 17 towns emptied of their residents, communities are urgently calling on state authorities to act.
“If the government cannot provide food or money, the least we ask for is security,” Muhammadu said.
