Suspected members of the Lakurawa group have killed 15 people in an attack on Kwalajiya village in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The assault, which took place around 2:00 pm on Tuesday, is believed to be a reprisal following the killing of three members of the group, including a suspected leader, during a failed earlier attack on the community.
A local leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the gunmen stormed the village while residents were observing the Zuhr (afternoon) prayer.
“We were in the mosque when they invaded in large numbers. They opened fire indiscriminately, targeting both worshippers and villagers working on their farms,” the source said.
He added that security personnel and the chairman of the local government area were present in the community on Wednesday to attend the burial of the victims.
“This is the first time Lakurawa members have attacked our village directly.
“But I believe it was a retaliatory strike after three of their members were killed in a failed attack,” he said.
Another community source said the violence may have been triggered by local resistance to the group’s influence.
According to him, a village leader had recently warned residents against allowing their daughters to marry members of the group, a decision that reportedly angered the Lakurawa.
“They were not happy with this stance and decided to attack us.
“We are calling on the government to act swiftly before they wipe us out and seize control of our communities,” the source added.
Another resident of the affected community said the assailants set fire to farmlands and torched several homes.
“They didn’t harm or kill any women, but they killed our men and destroyed all our food items, including those being sold in shops. They also burned down some houses,” the resident said.
Following the attack, the entire community has been deserted, with many residents fleeing to nearby towns for safety.
“I’m currently staying with my relatives in the city, while some of our people have relocated to Gidan Madi, the headquarters of Tangaza Local Government Area,” she added.
She said the attackers also destroyed the community’s telecommunications mast, effectively cutting off all mobile network access.
“We are calling on the government to deploy security operatives to our community and restore our telecommunications network, which we rely on to report the attackers’ movements to local authorities and security agencies,” the resident appealed.
Spokesperson of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufa’i, confirmed the incident but said the exact number of casualties had yet to be verified.
A source in the LGA confirmed that 15 people were killed in the attack, while seven others sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment.
“We have just concluded the burial of the victims,” he said, adding that additional security personnel are expected to be deployed to the area to prevent further violence.
Written with reports from Daily Trust
