Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Tofa community in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State is in mourning after a devastating night raid by suspected bandits that left at least 10 people dead, dozens abducted, and hundreds of cattle rustled. Local sources confirmed that the attackers, who struck late on Sunday, September 6, 2026, killed at least 10 residents, injured several others, and abducted between 38 and 40 people, including women and children. The assailants, who arrived on more than 40 motorcycles, operated for nearly three hours without encountering any significant resistance from security forces, raising urgent questions about the government's ability to protect vulnerable communities.
Eyewitness accounts reveal that the bandits, reportedly dressed in military-style uniforms, stormed Tofa around 10 p.m. on Sunday, firing sporadically to create panic before systematically moving from house to house. According to a resident who narrowly escaped, the attackers were well-organized and appeared to have prior knowledge of the community. "They knew exactly where to go. They went straight to the homes of the village head and other prominent residents," the source told Stone Reporters. "They were shouting, telling people not to run, and they just started taking people, mostly women and children." The attackers reportedly looted homes and shops, carting away valuables before fleeing with their captives and livestock towards the nearby Sububu Forest in Zamfara State.
The ability of the bandits to carry out such a large-scale attack without being intercepted has once again highlighted the security vacuum in parts of Sokoto State, where criminal gangs have exploited the difficult terrain and weak security presence to launch devastating attacks on rural communities. Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the attackers were believed to have entered Sokoto from Bakura in neighbouring Zamfara State, passing through Dankare and Dalijan villages before storming Tofa around midnight. A police source said the attackers were "too many and heavily armed," overwhelming the few local vigilantes who attempted to resist. A military base is located near the community, but security personnel reportedly arrived after the attackers had escaped into the Bakura forest.
The attack on Tofa is the latest in a series of violent incidents that have plagued Sokoto State, where bandits and terrorists have continued to kill, kidnap, and displace thousands of residents. The frequency and brutality of these attacks have left communities living in constant fear, with many questioning the effectiveness of security agencies and the commitment of the government to protect vulnerable populations. The Sokoto State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the Tofa attack, and efforts to reach the command's spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful as of the time of this report.
As the community of Tofa mourns its dead and prays for the safe return of the abducted, the question on everyone's lips is: how were the attackers able to enter Tofa, kill, abduct dozens of people, and leave with livestock and other valuables without being stopped? The answer, it seems, lies in the same factors that have allowed banditry to flourish across Nigeria's North-West: large numbers of heavily armed criminals, inadequate security presence, and a government that has failed to provide the protection its citizens desperately need. Until the government takes decisive action to address the root causes of banditry and terrorism, communities like Tofa will continue to be left to the mercy of criminals who have shown no mercy.
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