A reprisal attack in Kebbi State has left 13 people dead after members of the Lakurawa group stormed Birnin Dede, a community in Arewa Local Government Area. The attack was in response to the killing of their leader, Maigemu, by security forces last Thursday.
The Lakurawa group, made up of people from different ethnic backgrounds, including Hausa, Fulani, Touareg, and Barebari, has been active in Kebbi and surrounding areas for some time.
During the attack, the assailants set fire to eight villages, sparing only one that was under military protection. A local resident, Musa Gado, said, “The attackers spared only one village that was guarded by the soldiers. We seek protection from Allah against this dreaded group.”
Another resident, Suleiman Abubakar, who lost his brother in the attack, described the horror, saying, “It was a terrible situation for us. They killed many of our people and burnt some of them with their houses. No one was spared, women and children were attacked.”
The affected villages included Birni Garin Nagoro, Yar Goru, Dan Marke, and Tambo. The attack reportedly began around 8:48 p.m., with houses set on fire and gunmen shooting at residents. Among the victims was 50-year-old Garba Maigari, while the identities of others remain unknown.
Several injured survivors were taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Birnin Kebbi for treatment. Local government chairman Sani Aliyu confirmed the attack and stated that security forces had been deployed to the affected areas. The government is still assessing the full impact of the violence.
This attack follows an earlier operation by security forces in which Maigemu, the leader of the Lakurawa group, was killed in a gunfight at Kuncin-baba, also in Arewa Local Government Area. Security officials believe the group has been involved in numerous violent incidents in the region, including the killing of two Immigration officers and a civilian at the Kangiwa border in January.
The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed that suspected Lakurawa members carried out the attack using sophisticated weapons. A police spokesperson, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, noted that the attackers also set fire to homes in several communities. In response, the Police Commissioner, Bello Muhammed Sani, has sent additional tactical teams to the area with orders to stop the group’s activities.
Meanwhile, the military has claimed progress in its fight against banditry. Major General Ibikunle Ajose, the General Officer Commanding 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, recently stated, “The war against banditry and terrorists across the area of responsibility has been progressively and steadily won by our troops, as several bandit leaders and their supporters have been eliminated.”
