Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Suspected bandits on Sunday night invaded Makuawana town in Sabon‑Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing at least one resident and abducting an unspecified number of others in a raid that has heightened fears across the North‑West border communities.
The attack occurred in the Tafkin Kanu community, located within the Makuwana ward, when heavily armed gunmen on motorcycles stormed the area under the cover of darkness. According to a source close to the community, the assailants arrived on more than 30 motorcycles, moving from Magira in Sabon Birni toward the Gatawa‑Kullah axis, before launching their assault on the village, a report by Impact Nigeria indicated.
During the attack, the gunmen fired sporadically to create panic before rounding up residents and rustling livestock. One person was reportedly killed in the ensuing chaos, while several others were taken captive. The abductors are believed to have fled toward the Basira axis, near the border with Niger Republic, a route frequently used by criminal networks to evade security forces.
The attack has thrown the community into mourning and fear, with families left uncertain about the fate of their loved ones. A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the gunmen operated freely for hours without resistance, adding that many families fled into nearby bushes to escape capture. “They came in large numbers and took away people while we watched helplessly. We do not know how many were taken,” the resident told newsmen.
Security agencies have yet to issue an official statement on the incident. However, local sources confirmed that authorities have been alerted and that efforts are underway to track the abductors and rescue the victims.
The attack is the latest in a wave of violence that has plagued Sabon Birni and neighbouring local government areas, where armed groups have continued to carry out abductions, killings and cattle rustling with impunity. On June 18, troops of Operation Fansan Yamma rescued 22 kidnapped victims in the same local government area following a coordinated operation, according to a statement by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North West, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja.
Communities in Sabon Birni, Shinkafi, Isa and Goronyo have remained among the worst affected by attacks linked to armed groups operating along the Sokoto‑Zamfara border corridor, where the security situation has deteriorated significantly in recent months. In a separate development, notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has reportedly claimed responsibility for recent attacks on security operatives in parts of Sokoto and Zamfara states, while expressing willingness to engage in dialogue with the government.
Residents and community leaders have called on the federal and state governments to deploy more security personnel to the area and intensify operations against criminal networks operating in the region. They have also appealed to authorities to act swiftly to rescue those abducted and prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities.
As of the time of this report, no official statement had been issued by the Sokoto State Police Command or the military regarding the Makuawana attack. The exact number of those abducted remains unknown, and efforts to locate the victims are ongoing.
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