SOKOTO, NIGERIA — More than 300 suspected Lakurawa militants on motorcycles invaded Kebbe town in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Friday, engaging security forces in a fierce gun battle and attacking shops, a hospital and vehicles .
The heavily armed militants reportedly entered the town at about 10 a.m., prompting soldiers stationed at a military base on the outskirts of Kebbe to open fire on them . A security expert in Sokoto, Bashar Altine, disclosed that four soldiers were allegedly killed during the exchange of fire, though the casualty figure could not be independently confirmed as of the time of reporting .
According to residents, the attackers arrived in large numbers on motorcycles armed with sophisticated weapons. One resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Daily Trust: “I counted over 200 motorcycles. They broke into shops and stole phones, food items and petrol” .
The militants, after engaging the soldiers, moved into the centre of Kebbe town, particularly the Sabon Gari area, where they reportedly broke into shops and carted away large quantities of mobile phones and bread . They also opened fire on a military vehicle fitted with a mounted rocket-propelled grenade, damaging three of its tyres and shattering its windscreen .
The attackers later moved to the General Hospital, Kebbe, where they allegedly smashed the windows of vehicles parked within the premises, including a vehicle belonging to the Divisional Police Officer and an ambulance. They also seized mobile phones belonging to patients at the hospital . Residents further reported that the militants took away four motorcycles as they began withdrawing from the town .
A security source confirmed to Daily Trust that the attackers were believed to have come from Bukuyyum in neighbouring Zamfara State. According to the source, intelligence indicated the bandits were heading towards Kebbi State to confront Lakurawa when they diverted to Kebbe .
The attackers eventually left Kebbe in the evening, heading towards communities west of the town. Reports from villages west of Kebbe indicate they entered Ungushi town, one of the districts in Kebbe Local Government Area . Altine also noted that, despite the reported exchange of fire with troops, there was no confirmation that any of the militants was killed .
The spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed the incident, describing it as “terrible,” but said the situation had returned to normal. Rufai, however, said he could not confirm whether there were casualties, including the reported death of four soldiers, and stated that the command would issue an official statement after obtaining details of the incident .
Efforts to obtain confirmation from the spokesman of the 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Olaniyi Osoba, were unsuccessful, as he had not responded to messages sent to him . A resident of Tambuwal reported seeing about eight military vehicles heading towards Kebbe, while additional troops and an Air Force jet were deployed to contain the situation .
The reported attack has heightened concerns over the activities and movement of Lakurawa militants in parts of Sokoto and neighbouring states, as communities continue to face repeated attacks and violent raids .
