Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A devastating wave of coordinated attacks by heavily armed terrorists has thrown several communities in Sokoto State into chaos, leaving residents dead, hundreds of cattle rustled, homes and shops looted, and scores of families forced to flee their villages for safety. The attacks, which occurred across Tambuwal Local Government Area and surrounding settlements, have escalated the worsening security crisis in the region, with entire communities now deserted and displaced families taking refuge in Tambuwal town as the rainy season begins.
A farmer, Malam Bello, who narrowly escaped an attack in Baguda, Tambuwal LGA, recounted his harrowing experience in a video obtained by SaharaReporters. He described how he unexpectedly ran into the armed group while on his way beyond Nabagoda. According to Bello, the attackers were driving cattle eastward along the main Kalgo road when one of them pointed a weapon at him. “I said, 'Please, for God's sake, have mercy,'” Bello recalled. He parked his motorcycle, but was immediately surrounded by the gunmen, some carrying weapons while others spread out. They interrogated him about his origin before he managed to escape into a nearby millet farm. The attackers abandoned his motorcycle and continued their operation, descending on several villages and unleashing widespread destruction.
Bello confirmed that the attacks extended across numerous communities, including Unguwar Lalle, Maradu, Gidan Kaya, Lukkingo, Kalgo, Gozama, and Jaaja. Entire communities were stripped of their livestock and valuables, with residents reporting that not even a single ram was left behind in some villages. “They took away all the cattle,” Bello said. He also recounted that attackers broke into homes, looting stored food and even small amounts of cash. “If they saw even ten naira, they took it away,” he added.
The attacks also resulted in multiple casualties. Bello reported that a person was shot in the thigh in Nabagoda, and an elderly woman was also affected. Another man from Kalgo Babba, identified as Kalgo Magaji, was shot dead, while a resident in Maradu was also reportedly shot. A young boy from Jajen Madi described how his village came under attack, with attackers breaking into shops, stealing cattle, and demanding money or phones from anyone they encountered. The footage from the affected areas showed frightened women and children fleeing from villages including Maradun, Jaaja, Tulluwa, and surrounding communities, seeking refuge in Tambuwal town. Many of those fleeing had lost everything to the attacks.
Appealing to the government, Bello lamented that residents had been abandoned to their fate and urgently needed protection and humanitarian assistance. “We are pleading with the government to act wisely. We beg the government to help us find shelter. We ask the government to restore security and come to our rescue,” he said. He added that entire communities had become deserted because of persistent attacks, with residents forced to live in the bush with their cattle. “I swear, between Yagawal, Tahowa and Tambuwal, you hardly see anyone anymore. Camels, cattle and other livestock are scattered everywhere. Now that the rainy season has started, we are living in the bush with our cattle. We have been forced out of our homes,” he said.
The narrator in the video stressed the immense suffering of the displaced people, calling on the government to intervene and provide relief. “You have seen the condition these women are in as they flee and seek refuge in Tambuwal town. May Almighty Allah make things easy for us, provide a solution, and bring an end to this terrorism. We pray that Allah grants the government the ability and strength to take urgent action. May Allah bring us peace in our country, in our local government area of Tambuwal, and throughout the state,” the narrator said. The latest attacks have further underscored the worsening security crisis in Sokoto State, where communities continue to face repeated raids by armed groups that target villages, rustle livestock, loot homes and businesses, and force residents to flee, despite repeated appeals for stronger security intervention.
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