Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Rabah, Sokoto State — Armed bandits reportedly invaded Riji community in Rabah Local Government Area late on Christmas night, killing at least four residents and abducting around 30 women in a brutal raid that has once again underscored the deepening insecurity in northwest Nigeria.
According to accounts reaching reporters from local contacts familiar with the incident, the attack occurred after dusk on 25 December 2025, when heavily armed gunmen on motorcycles stormed the primarily farming community. Residents said the assailants opened fire indiscriminately, killing at least four people — including both men and women — and forcefully abducting a large number of women before fleeing into the surrounding bushland.
The scale and nature of the violence reflect a pattern of mass abductions and killings by criminal gangs in Sokoto State, where rural communities frequently face such raids. In similar incidents earlier this year, villages in Sokoto have suffered coordinated assaults that left civilians dead and dozens taken captive during night‑time attacks. In one such event in Bargaja village, separate from this latest incident, armed bandits killed five people and abducted nine women, prompting local outrage and calls for more effective protection.
Although official confirmation from the Sokoto State Police Command was not available at the time of publication, residents said they had contacted security agencies but described responses as slow and inadequate. Local community leaders have expressed deep frustration, arguing that the lack of a permanent and visible security presence has emboldened criminal networks to carry out repeated incursions with impunity.
The raid has caused widespread panic, with survivors fleeing their homes and seeking refuge in neighbouring settlements or the bush. Many describe scenes of terror as relatives were separated during the chaos, and appeals are already circulating for the security forces to intensify patrols and rescue efforts for those taken captive.
Banditry remains a persistent threat across Sokoto and parts of northwest Nigeria, where armed groups exploit porous borders, dense vegetation and limited security infrastructure to launch raids, abduct civilians for ransom, and disrupt community life. Previous attacks have prompted calls from lawmakers and civil society for more sustained and coordinated operations to protect rural populations and disrupt bandit networks.
The Christmastime attack in Riji highlights the acute vulnerability of rural communities during festive periods, when bandits often take advantage of reduced vigilance and minimal security presence. As families mourn the dead and search for missing loved ones, local leaders are urging both state and federal authorities to urgently deploy additional troops, enhance intelligence gathering, and establish forward operating posts to deter future attacks.
At the centre of this tragedy are displaced villagers — many of whom have left homes and farms in search of safety — raising renewed appeals for humanitarian assistance and long-term protective measures to prevent further loss of life and freedom.
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