Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Suspected bandits have killed the Chief Imam of Kuda-Kuda village in the Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State and abducted several residents, including married women, in a deadly overnight assault that residents say marks the 11th attack on their community in recent years.
The attackers stormed the village at approximately 12:58 a.m. on Thursday, June 25, 2026, and operated for nearly two hours, firing sporadically, rustling livestock, and forcing terrified families to flee into the darkness. Among those killed was the village Chief Imam, Liman Audu, alongside three other residents identified as Yahaya Hasanu, Zahara Mu’azu, and Ibrahim Dayyabu.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described how panic spread through the community as gunfire erupted from multiple directions. “We were keeping vigil when we suddenly heard gunshots from different directions. We ran home, woke our families, and fled towards the outskirts of the village to save our lives,” he recounted. According to the resident, the attackers moved from house to house, abducting residents, particularly married women.
Those abducted include Malam Shehu Farar Zaki, Yar Yamma, Khadija, and at least six others. Three injured victims were shot in the chest, with bullets exiting through their backs. They have been taken to a hospital in Sokoto, but residents expressed little optimism about their survival. “Honestly, we are not optimistic about their chances of survival,” a resident said.
Another villager confirmed the killings, detailing the attackers’ methodical brutality. “After killing the Imam, they met three youths and asked them to follow them. When the youths refused, the bandits shot and killed them on the spot,” the resident said. The attackers had first targeted the Chief Imam’s residence before turning on the young men.
Residents expressed deep frustration over the complete absence of security intervention during the attack, noting that Kuda-Kuda village has suffered repeated raids by armed groups over the years. One resident said the latest assault was the eleventh attack on the community, despite repeated appeals to authorities for improved security protection. “Time and again we’ve begged for help, but our community remains exposed,” one local lamented. “We live in constant fear, wondering when the next attack will come”.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Sokoto State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Ahmad Rufai, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Col. Ahmed Usman (Rtd), were unsuccessful, as calls, text messages, and WhatsApp inquiries went unanswered. The latest attack deepens security concerns in the eastern parts of Sokoto State, where communities continue to bear the brunt of banditry and terrorist activity, and where residents have continued to appeal for a stronger security presence to safeguard lives and property.
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