33 Killed in Kebbi as Armed Men Storm Villages in Midnight Cattle Raid

By: Oluwaseun Lawal

It started like many of these stories do. Quiet evening. Then gunshots.

At least 33 people have been confirmed dead after suspected bandits attacked Bui District in Arewa Local Government Area of Kebbi State. The confirmation came from the Kebbi State Police Command through its spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman.

According to police accounts, the attackers — believed to be Lakurawa militants — swept into the district on Wednesday. Their alleged mission: cattle rustling. But what followed was far more deadly.

Investigators say the armed men likely crossed into the area from Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State before striking.

When news of the invasion spread, residents from Mamunu, Awasaka, Tungan Tsoho, Makangara, Kanzo, Gorun Naidal and Dan Mai Ago mobilised. They tried to resist. It turned into a confrontation. And by the end of it, 33 lives were gone.

The police say security presence has now been reinforced across the affected communities. Officers are working alongside the military and other agencies. More personnel. More patrols. Area domination operations, as they call it.

Authorities are urging residents not to confront armed groups directly. It’s risky. Deadly, even. Instead, they are being asked to report suspicious movement through official channels while targeted operations continue to track down those responsible.

The attack comes amid wider security concerns in parts of Kebbi and neighbouring states, where rural communities have faced repeated raids, kidnappings and extortion attempts. Just recently, reports emerged of suspected terrorists allegedly sending a letter to a community in Ngaski Local Government Area, demanding money before being allowed to “preach.”

For families in Bui District, though, the broader pattern offers little comfort.

Thirty-three people. Gone.

And another reminder that in some corners of the country, nightfall still carries fear.