Bandits Attack Kebbi Villages, Kill 16 as Nigeria Faces Rising Insecurity
At least sixteen people have been confirmed dead after armed bandits launched a brutal attack on Tungan Taura and Tungan Ladan villages in Augie Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The attack, which occurred on Saturday evening, April 5, was reportedly carried out by heavily armed men suspected to be members of the Lakurawa gang, a notorious bandit group operating in parts of northern Nigeria.
Confirming the incident, the Kebbi State Police Command, through its spokesperson CSP Nafiu Abubakar, said the assailants stormed the two rural communities around 6:00 PM, killing sixteen people and rustling an undisclosed number of cattle.
“The attackers, who arrived in large numbers, rustled an unspecified number of cattle and engaged in a deadly confrontation with community members, which led to the tragic loss of sixteen lives,” the statement said.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Bello M. Sani, condemned the killings and assured residents that security forces had been mobilised to track down the perpetrators. He announced the deployment of additional tactical teams made up of police, military, civil defence officers, and local vigilantes to restore order and prevent further attacks.
“Our resolve to rid Kebbi State of banditry and other violent crimes remains firm. We are deploying all available resources to ensure that the perpetrators of this senseless act are brought to justice,” Sani said.
According to the police, calm has since returned to the affected villages, and a comprehensive investigation is underway.
This latest incident adds to the growing list of deadly attacks in Nigeria. In March, at least 16 hunters of northern origin were killed in Edo State when suspected youths in Uromi ambushed them during a local security operation in the southern part of the country.
