Terrorists Kill Police Inspector, 11 Others in Fresh Kebbi Attacks, Residents Flee Communities

Terrorists Kill Police Inspector, 11 Others in Fresh Kebbi Attacks, Residents Flee Communities

 

Suspected Lakurawa and Mamudawa terrorists have killed a police inspector and 11 civilians in a series of attacks on communities in Kebbi State, forcing residents to flee their homes amid renewed fears over worsening insecurity in the North-West.

 

The attacks reportedly occurred between October 22 and 28 across communities in the Besse and Shanga riverine areas of the state, including Karwa, Kestu and Waiwayi.

 

The gunmen were said to have invaded the affected communities, killing residents, setting houses and motorcycles ablaze and looting shops and other property before retreating towards their hideouts.

 

According to reports, the attackers moved along the River Niger corridor from Kaoje towards Besse, spreading fear among residents of settlements along the route.

 

The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed that 12 people, including a police inspector, were killed in the series of attacks.

 

The command’s spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, explained that the casualties were recorded in separate incidents and not during a single attack on one community.

 

Usman said suspected members of the Mamudawa/Lakurawa terrorist group attacked communities along the Karwa, Kestu and Waiwayi axis on October 26 and 28.

 

He disclosed that five people were killed on October 26, while seven others, including a police inspector, lost their lives during subsequent attacks on October 28.

 

The police spokesperson also explained that the violence was preceded by an incident at Samanaji Market on October 22, where suspected local vigilantes, popularly known as Yan Sakai, allegedly attacked Fulani traders over rumours of cattle rustling and a planned attack.

 

Three Fulani traders reportedly died during the incident, while a police inspector sustained injuries.

 

The police said its tactical team, deployed by the Divisional Police Officer in Besse, intervened to prevent further violence.

 

However, the subsequent attacks and reprisal violence reportedly worsened the security situation, forcing residents of several communities to abandon their homes.

 

A resident, Aminu Usman, who spoke to Daily Trust, described the attacks as devastating, saying the gunmen burnt houses and property before withdrawing to their hideouts.

 

He said the coordinated nature of the attacks caught many villagers unaware, leaving several families homeless.

 

Another resident, Aliyu Tailor Besse, said the attackers moved from communities around Kaoje towards Besse, targeting settlements along the River Niger.

 

He explained that some residents had received warnings about the movement of armed men and fled before the attackers arrived, while others who remained behind suffered the consequences.

 

A resident also disclosed that some families lost several members during the attacks, while only a few people remained in some of the affected communities.

 

The situation reportedly forced many displaced residents to seek refuge in safer neighbouring communities.

 

Meanwhile, the police said additional security personnel had been deployed to the affected areas to prevent further attacks and restore normalcy.

 

Usman said the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Mohammed Hadejia, had ordered intensified security operations, including clearance, search-and-rescue and confidence-building operations.

 

The command also said investigations were ongoing and that security operatives were pursuing those responsible for the attacks.

 

The latest violence has renewed concerns about the activities of the Lakurawa and Mamudawa groups in Kebbi State, particularly in riverine communities where residents remain vulnerable to attacks by armed groups.

 

Residents have called on the Federal and Kebbi State governments to strengthen security operations, protect vulnerable communities and provide assistance to families displaced by the attacks.

 

Terrorists Kill Police Inspector, 11 Others in Fresh Kebbi Attacks, Residents Flee Communities