At least six soldiers and 12 civilians have been killed in separate terrorist attacks on communities in Zamfara and Sokoto states, while scores of residents were abducted in fresh assaults that have heightened security concerns across Nigeria’s North-West.
The attacks, which occurred late on Saturday, targeted Kasuwar Daji in Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State and Lajinge village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
In Zamfara, residents said heavily armed terrorists stormed Kasuwar Daji at about 11:30 p.m., overpowering a military outpost before attacking the community.
Local sources said six soldiers were killed during the assault, while at least 75 residents were abducted and taken into nearby forests.
A resident, Alhaji Aminu Kasuwar Daji, said the attackers arrived in large numbers and opened fire indiscriminately before overrunning the military position.
He appealed to both the Zamfara State Government and the Federal Government to strengthen security in the state, warning that residents were living in constant fear.
“We are in serious danger if terrorists can overpower military personnel and freely attack innocent citizens,” he said.
Former Deputy Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Namadi Kasuwar Daji, also confirmed the attack, saying relatives informed him that the gunmen looted shops, carted away food items and other valuables, and abducted many residents after killing soldiers.
The spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said he was yet to receive details of the incident but promised to verify the report.
No official update had been provided at the time of filing this report.
In neighbouring Sokoto State, at least 12 people were killed when suspected terrorists attacked Lajinge village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area.
Residents said the attackers invaded the community at about 11:00 p.m. on Saturday and operated for more than four hours without any security intervention.
According to eyewitnesses, 11 victims died from gunshot wounds, while a woman identified as Agada reportedly died after collapsing from the shock of the attack.
Among the dead were a man, Mallam Wauro, popularly known as Mallam Roro, and his two sons, who were burnt alive after the attackers reportedly surrounded the room where they had sought refuge, doused it with petrol and set it ablaze.
Three other persons, including two relatives and an internally displaced person taking shelter in the house, also died in the fire.
Residents said several others were shot while trying to escape, while dozens of cattle and other livestock were stolen during the raid.
Another resident, who participated in the local vigilante effort, said community members fled after the attackers overwhelmed them with superior firepower.
He alleged that the terrorists moved from house to house, looting property, rustling livestock and abducting villagers, including two wives of one of the victims.
Although the exact number of abducted residents remains unclear, villagers said many children who were initially taken away were later released by the attackers.
Residents expressed frustration over what they described as the absence of a security response, alleging that personnel stationed in nearby communities failed to respond despite repeated distress calls.
They also disclosed that eight people were killed in the same community about three weeks ago, renewing calls for the deployment of additional security forces to the area.
“We are Nigerians. We voted for this government to protect our lives and property.
We urgently need security personnel in our communities,” one resident pleaded.
The Sokoto State Police Command said it was verifying reports of the attack.
Police spokesperson DSP Ahmad Rufai said he was travelling at the time he was contacted and would provide an update after obtaining details of the incident.
The latest attacks underscore the persistent security challenges facing communities across the North-West, where armed groups continue to carry out deadly raids, mass abductions and cattle rustling despite ongoing military operations.
