Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Pierre Antoine
Armed fighters suspected to belong to the Lakurawa militant network reportedly launched a violent nighttime assault on Dadin-Kowa community in Kebbi State, targeting worshippers gathered for Taraweeh prayers during the holy month of Ramadan.
Local residents said the attackers stormed the community in Maiyama under the cover of darkness, opening fire indiscriminately around the mosque area where Muslims were observing late-night Ramadan prayers. The assault violated a place widely regarded as sacred within Islamic tradition, intensifying public outrage across the region.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that several people were killed during the attack, while many others sustained varying degrees of injury. The exact casualty figure has not been officially confirmed by security authorities, but community sources described the violence as severe and chaotic, with worshippers attempting to escape in different directions amid gunfire.
The attack has been attributed locally to the armed group known as Lakurawa, a militant organisation that has been linked by security analysts to banditry and extremist criminal networks operating across parts of northwestern Nigeria. Authorities have previously identified the group as posing a security threat in rural frontier zones, although formal government classification of the group continues to evolve.
The timing of the attack during Taraweeh prayer has generated strong condemnation from religious leaders and civil society groups. Religious scholars and community stakeholders described the assault as an act of extreme moral and social violation, arguing that targeting worshippers during Ramadan represents an escalation in the brutality associated with armed criminal activity in the region.
Security experts note that attacks in northern Nigeria have increasingly shifted from highway ambushes to direct assaults on settlements and community gathering points, reflecting adaptive tactics used by armed groups to maximise psychological impact. The Dadin-Kowa incident is now being viewed as part of this broader security pattern.
Residents reported that following the shooting, the attackers moved through parts of the community while threatening civilians and looting property before retreating toward nearby forested terrain believed to serve as hideouts. The terrain around Maiyama LGA has been described as difficult to patrol continuously due to dense vegetation and limited surveillance infrastructure.
The Nigerian Police Force has not yet released a detailed casualty report or confirmed arrests connected to the attack. Security forces are believed to be conducting search-and-rescue operations and intelligence-led patrols in surrounding areas in an effort to locate the perpetrators.
Governor statements from the state government were expected following the incident, as community leaders have called on Nasir Idris to authorise immediate reinforcement of security deployment to vulnerable villages within the region.
The attack has reignited national concerns over insecurity across northern Nigeria, where banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and insurgent-related violence have persisted despite military operations targeting criminal networks. Analysts argue that rural communities remain particularly exposed due to limited rapid-response capabilities.
Human rights organisations have condemned the assault, describing the mosque attack as a violation of both humanitarian norms and religious sanctity. Advocacy groups urged the federal government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intensify coordinated counter-terrorism operations and improve intelligence sharing among security agencies.
Religious and community leaders in Kebbi have called for calm while mourning the victims. Funeral arrangements for those killed are expected to follow Islamic burial traditions, though authorities have not released official identification details of the deceased.
The incident underscores the continuing security challenges facing rural settlements across the northwestern corridor of Nigeria, where armed criminal groups exploit difficult terrain, limited security coverage, and socioeconomic vulnerabilities to conduct attacks.
As of the time of reporting, there has been no public claim of responsibility for the assault, and security agencies have urged residents to provide information that could assist ongoing investigations.
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