Kebbi: Lakurawa kills 13 in revenge mission
In a reprisal attack over the killing of their leader, Maigemu, by combined security operatives last Thursday, the Lakurawa group on Sunday attacked Birnin Dede, a community in Arewa Local Government Area of Kebbi State killing 13 people. The Lakurawa group, which consists of persons from various tribes, including Hausa, Fulani, Toureq, Barebari and other […]
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In a reprisal attack over the killing of their leader, Maigemu, by combined security operatives last Thursday, the Lakurawa group on Sunday attacked Birnin Dede, a community in Arewa Local Government Area of Kebbi State killing 13 people.
The Lakurawa group, which consists of persons from various tribes, including Hausa, Fulani, Toureq, Barebari and other tribes, has been operating in Kebbi State and environs for some time now.
Also in Ondo State, gunmen killed 14 farmers and razed communities.
A local from Kebbi State, Musa Gado, said the terrorists group also set eight villages in the area on fire during the attack. He said, “The attackers spared only one village that was guarded by the soldiers. We seek protection from Allah against this dreaded group.”
Another local, Suleiman Abubakar, who said he lost a brother in the attack, told our correspondent that the terrorists group invaded their community at night, after the magrib prayer.
“It was a terrible situation for us. They killed many of our people and burnt some of them with their houses. No one was spared, women and children were attacked,” he said.
Other villages torched by the assailants are; Birni Garin Nagoro, Yar Goru, Dan Marke, and Tambo.
“The terrorists stormed the villages around 8:48 p.m. on March 9, 2025, setting houses ablaze and shooting indiscriminately. Among the deceased was Garba Maigari (50), while the identities of the other victims remain unknown,” another source said.
Daily Trust also gathered that several injured victims were taken to Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, for treatment.
The Chairman of Arewa Local Government, Sani Aliyu, confirmed the attack. He said security personnel have been drafted to the affected communities while government is still assessing the situation.
It would be recalled that as part of ongoing efforts to curb the activities of the armed group in the state, a combined security force, supported by Governor Nasir Idris, recently killed the group’s leader, Maigemu, in a gun duel at Kuncin-baba, Arewa area of the state.
It would also be recalled that the terrorists had in February, attacked Gulma community in Argungu Local Government Area, killing one person and injuring six others.
Similarly, the group was said to be behind the killing of two Immigration officers and one civilian at Kangiwa border, in Kangiwa Local Government Area in January this year.
Lakurawa behind the attack – Police
Reacting, the Kebbi State Police Command said suspected Lakurawa members in their large numbers with sophisticated weapons invaded Birnin Debi, Dogon Daji, Danmarke, Yar Goru, Tambo, Garin Nagoro and Garin Rugga communities, all in Arewa Local Government Area of Kebbi State and Republic of Niger, and killed 11 people while two others sustained gunshot wounds.
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the command, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, said the bandits also set ablaze some houses at the affected villages during the attack.
It added that the Police Commissioner, Bello Muhammed Sani, had reviewed the security architecture of the area and deployed additional tactical teams and charged them to decisively deal with members of the group and ensure that they are chased out of the area.
‘We’re winning war against bandits, Lakurawa’
Only recently, the General Officer Commanding, 8 Division of the Nigeria Army, Maj. Gen. Ibikunle Ajose, said the war against banditry and terrorists had been progressively and steadily won.
Speaking at the 2024 West African Social Activities (WASA), organised by the army at the Giginya Barrack, Sokoto, Ajose who is the Commander, Sector 2 Operation FANSAN YAMMA, said several bandits’ leaders and their foot soldiers had been eliminated.
“The war against banditry and terrorists across the area of responsibility has been progressively and steadily won by our troops, as several bandit leaders and their supporters have been eliminated.
Bandits attack Ondo communities, kill 14 farmers
And in Ondo State, at least 14 persons were killed by bandits in four communities of Akure-North Local Government Area of Ondo State, Daily Trust gathered.
The affected communities identified simply as Aba Alajido, Aba Sunday, Aba Pastor, and Ademekun, are predominantly occupied by local farmers.
A police source, who confirmed the incident, said the gun-wielding men stormed the four communities at midnight on Saturday.
He explained that 14 bodies have so far been recovered in the affected communities while search is ongoing for others.
“Our men were immediately deployed to the areas when the report got to the command on Sunday. As I’m speaking with you, about 14 bodies have been recovered in the villages,” he said.
A resident of one of the affected communities, who identified himself as Sunday, said many of the farmers who went into the bush are yet to be found.
He said the attack started since last week Monday, but the major one happened on Friday night.
“They attacked our communities on Friday night when everyone was asleep. They opened fire at everyone in sight. So, many people ran into the bush for safety while some unlucky ones were killed in the villages. I am sure that over 40 people were killed.
“On Sunday, the security men came around and recovered some of the corpses. Many are yet to be found. If they search further, they will still find more bodies in the bush,” he said.
Confirming the incident in a telephone chat with Daily Trust, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisamya, disclosed that an investigation had been launched into the attack.
She said officers from the command have been deployed to the bush, and are after the perpetrators, stressing that normalcy has returned to the affected communities.
“The matter was reported on Saturday that Aba Pastor community was attacked, immediately the command swung into action to ensure normalcy is restored and to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators,” Mrs Odunlami-Omisanya added.
The Regent of Ademekun Community, Princess Adelowo Adekemisola, had earlier on Monday raised the alarm, expressing sadness over the incident.
She also confirmed that the bandits killed 14 farmers in her own community.
“Fourteen people were killed last weekend by the herdsmen who infiltrated my community and started shooting sporadically. The community has been battling the problem for the past six years,” she said.
Princess Adekemisola, who spoke at a town hall meeting with cocoa farmers at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Adegbemile, in Akure, said that the gunmen came through the Edo-Ondo boundary to attack the community.
The regent called on the state government and the security agencies to come to the aid of the communities.
Farmers in the state have been raising concerns over the activities of gunmen. It would be recalled that in January, no fewer than five farmers were shot dead by bandits in the Ajegunle-Powerline community of the Akure-North Local Government Area.
While the family of the farmers was still nursing its wounds, the bandits also struck and attacked a farm which reportedly belonged to a former commissioner in the state, at the Oke Oge area of Oba Ile community, still in Akure-North Local Government Area.
Also a farm manager and two students of the Federal College of Agriculture Akure (FECA) who were on industrial training on a farm, which is a stone-throw to Akure airport were abducted.
And in February, a 75-year-old female victim (name withheld) who has farms at Ifira Akoko in the Akoko North-East LGA of the state narrated how she was raped by bandits before the arrival of the operatives of Amotekun Corps which later rescued her.
Just last Saturday, tension gripped the residents of the Osi community in Akure-North LGA, following the abduction of a farm estate owner, Olanrewaju Oyeleye, and his manager.
The gunmen, according to sources, invaded the farm and abducted the two victims from the farm, which is also located a few kilometers from the Akure airport. They demanded a ransom of N100 million before the duo could be released.
From Ismail Adebayo (Birnin Kebbi), Abubakar Auwal (Sokoto) &Tosin Tope (Akure)