Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Suspected bandits have killed two people and abducted 17 others, including three orphaned children, married women and other residents, during separate attacks in Sabon Birni and Wurno local government areas of Sokoto State, residents told reporters on Thursday, June 18, 2026. The attacks occurred late on Tuesday, June 16, and early on Wednesday, June 17, with the gunmen using heavy rainfall as cover to carry out their operations, according to multiple accounts from affected communities.
In Tarah village, Sabon Birni Local Government Area, the attackers arrived on foot at about 10 p.m. and launched a house-to-house operation, breaking down doors in search of residents. Many homes were empty because residents had abandoned them due to persistent insecurity in the area, but the attackers eventually found and abducted two married women identified as Lami, wife of Sani Tela, and Hajara, wife of Lauwali Tarno, along with five children. According to residents, three of the abducted children are orphans whose father has died, while two are children of Hami Tela. The children are between five and nine years old. The attackers also killed Nazifi Lauwali Kamtsa and shot another resident in the leg. The injured victim was later taken to Orthopedic Hospital Wammako for treatment.
In a separate attack at about 1 a.m. on Wednesday, bandits invaded Gidan Daji Alkammu village in Wurno Local Government Area, killing a resident identified as Hussaini and abducting 10 others comprising six women and four men, a resident who spoke on condition of anonymity told Daily Trust. The resident said the heavy rainfall at the time of the attack enabled the assailants to carry out their operation and escape with the victims. The resident lamented that security personnel did not arrive during the attack, adding that residents now spend nights patrolling their community because of recurring attacks by bandits. "We have lived with this insecurity for about seven years. Most men no longer sleep peacefully at night. Some only sleep in the broad daylight," another resident said.
When contacted, the spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, said he would verify the incidents and get back to the correspondent, but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report. A separate report by Leadership newspaper, citing a member of the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps, confirmed that two persons were killed, one other person sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital, and 12 abducted victims had so far been identified. The source told Daily Trust that four people had been confirmed dead so far in the attacks. In a separate report, a resident of Tarah village, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told DAILY POST that the bandits demanded a N50 million ransom for the release of the abducted victims, describing the demand as impossible for the community to meet. The source also claimed that the bandits had earlier invaded Gidan Daji Alkammu village, but gave no further details.
The latest attacks are part of a growing wave of banditry affecting several communities in Sokoto State, particularly in Sabon Birni Local Government Area, where residents say insecurity has worsened in recent weeks. Sabon Birni has been a hotspot for such raids, with the town hosting many displaced persons from neighbouring communities. The incident has thrown affected families into deeper distress, with many now living in fear as the attacks continue unabated. The Sokoto State Government and security agencies have been urged to take urgent action to address the growing insecurity and protect vulnerable communities from further attacks.
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