Bandits kill village head, 2 others in Sokoto

Armed bandits have attacked Kurawa village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing three persons, including the acting village head. The attackers, who invaded the community in the early hours of Thursday, also abducted several residents and rustled more than 40 cattle. A resident, who preferred to be anonymous for security reasons, […]

Armed bandits have attacked Kurawa village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing three persons, including the acting village head.

The attackers, who invaded the community in the early hours of Thursday, also abducted several residents and rustled more than 40 cattle.

A resident, who preferred to be anonymous for security reasons, said the bandits stormed the village around midnight after destroying part of the perimeter fence built by the community.

He said, “We received a call from neighbouring villages that armed bandits were advancing toward us. We immediately alerted the relevant authorities, including security operatives.

“They gained entry into the village after breaking the fence and began shooting sporadically.

“The attack lasted less than 30 minutes, unlike previous ones that usually lasted for hours. Our vigilantes and community guards, with support from security personnel, resisted them.”

The source said that despite the swift response, three residents were killed — the acting village head, Hussaini Alhaji Yawalle, and Huruna Alhaji Zuguru.

The victims were buried on Thursday according to Islamic rites, he added.

Another resident said the latest incident marked the 20th attack on the community by bandits.

He said, “That was why we decided to fence the village, but we didn’t expect they could breach it.

“They abducted several villagers, including our retired headmaster, Malam Abdullahi, and rustled over 40 cattle.”

He described the attack as devastating, noting that the deceased were prominent members of the community.

“The victims were respected elders with families and grandchildren. We call on the government to establish more security outposts in our area to prevent future attacks,” he added.

Confirming the attack, police spokesperson in Sokoto, DSP Ahmad Rufai, said the terrorists invaded the village around 2:00 am on Thursday and killed three persons.

According to him, the terrorists also rustled an unspecified number of livestock belonging to residents of the affected community.

He said a team of combined security operatives, including the Nigeria Police, Army, community watch guard and other personnel, responded to the attack and rescued six out of the seven kidnapped victims.

He said the police also recovered some rustled livestock and are still making an effort to free the victims still with the terrorists.

 

Assaults on Sabon Birni

The Kurawa incident is the latest of deadly assaults that have devastated the Sabon Birni area. In August 2024, bandits abducted and later killed the former Sarkin Gobir of Sabon Birni, who was held hostage for 25 days before his death.

Multiple family sources confirmed the monarch’s death, including his cousin, Magajin Garin Sabon Birni, Shuaibu Gwanda Gobir, who said a negotiator sent to deliver ransom payments discovered the monarch’s corpse in the bandits’ den.

Sources involved in the negotiation claimed the monarch may have died from illness during captivity, as the abductors had stopped allowing him to communicate with his family, claiming he was “too sick to talk.”

In September 2025, a boat accident claimed several lives in Zalla Bango, another village in the same local government, as residents tried to flee impending bandit attacks.

Eyewitnesses said the overloaded boat struck the edge of a collapsed culvert along the Goronyo–Sabon Birni road shortly after the Maghrib prayer, causing it to sink. Most of the victims were women.

Six people were killed in Kwanar Kimba, another community in Sabon Birni, following a violent attack by bandits earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State has revealed plans to forward a bill to the State House of Assembly prescribing capital punishment for individuals serving as informants to bandits.

Speaking on Saturday during the distribution of food items to victims of bandit attacks in Isa and Sabon Birni local government areas, the governor lamented that the activities of informants have continued to fuel kidnappings and insecurity across the state.

He described the “informants’ syndrome” as a major driver of banditry and warned those involved to desist before the full weight of the law catches up with them.