Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Barely a week before the Eid al-Adha festival when demand for rams traditionally peaks across Nigeria, armed bandits have turned the country's highways into hunting grounds for livestock traders, dealing a devastating blow to commerce and raising urgent questions about the safety of ordinary citizens and businesses on Nigeria's roads. On the night of May 20, 2026, gunmen suspected to be bandits attacked a group of livestock traders from Ajingi Local Government Area of Kano State as they waited for a vehicle to transport them to Ankpa Local Government Area in Kogi State, where they had planned to sell their animals ahead of the Sallah market. The attackers, who arrived in a vehicle and brandished sophisticated weapons, stole 11 rams valued at several million naira and fled into the darkness, leaving the traders traumatised and counting their losses.
One of the victims, Alhaji Hamisu Abdu Sakalawa, recounted the terrifying ordeal in an interview with a local media outlet. He said the incident occurred in Dakatsalle village, Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State, while they were waiting for a commercial vehicle that would convey them and their livestock to Ankpa LGA in Kogi State. "We were just sitting there with our rams when a vehicle pulled up. The men inside came out with guns and fired into the air. They ordered us to lie down on the ground and cover our eyes. Then they loaded the rams into their vehicle and sped off," Sakalawa told reporters. He said the attackers did not harm any of the traders physically, but the psychological trauma of the incident, coupled with the financial loss, has been devastating. "We are simple traders. We borrowed money to buy these animals. Now we have nothing to show for it," he added.
The traders later reported the incident to the Dakatsalle police outpost, where a case of armed robbery and cattle rustling was opened. A police source who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that an investigation has been launched, but no arrests have been made as of the time of this report. "We are aware of the incident and we are working to track down the perpetrators. However, we urge members of the public to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands," the source said. The Kano State Police Command has not issued an official statement on the matter, and calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, were not returned.
The attack on the livestock traders is not an isolated incident but part of a worrying pattern of armed banditry targeting economic activities across northern Nigeria. In recent months, bandits have increasingly turned their attention to traders and transporters, hijacking goods, kidnapping merchants for ransom, and levying informal taxes on movement along major highways. A report by SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based security and political economy firm, warned that armed groups are now consolidating a parallel system of taxation across key agricultural belts, trade routes and logistics corridors. "Bandits and insurgents are no longer content with ransom payments and sporadic raids. Instead, they are embedding themselves into local economies—taxing farmers, controlling markets and levying traders," the report stated. In the north-west, traders in Sabon Birni, Sokoto State, are already operating under what amounts to an informal taxation regime, where merchants must pay to move their goods or risk having their entire stock seized.
The timing of the Kano attack is particularly significant, as it coincides with the build-up to the Eid al-Adha festival, which falls on May 27 this year. The demand for rams typically skyrockets in the days leading up to the celebration, with traders transporting animals from northern producing states to southern consuming states. The bandits appear to have taken advantage of this seasonal movement, targeting traders who are often forced to travel at night or use less secure routes to avoid checkpoints and traffic congestion. The theft of 11 rams from Alhaji Sakalawa and his companions is not just a financial blow to the individuals involved; it is a chilling signal that no economic activity is safe from the reach of armed criminals.
The incident has also sparked outrage among livestock traders in Kano and beyond, who are demanding that the government take urgent steps to secure the highways and protect their livelihoods. "We are at the mercy of bandits every time we set out to sell our animals. The government must do something," said Alhaji Musa Ahmed, the chairman of the Kano State Livestock Traders Association. He called for the deployment of additional security personnel along the Kano-Kogi corridor and the establishment of safe transit points where traders can rest without fear of attack. "If this continues, many of us will be forced out of business, and the price of meat will skyrocket," he warned.
The attack also highlights the growing threat posed by bandits to rural communities in Kano State, which has traditionally been viewed as relatively safe compared to its neighbours in the north-west. In the past two months alone, bandits have carried out a series of deadly attacks in border communities, killing residents, rustling cattle, and terrorising villagers. On May 15, gunmen invaded Lakwaya town in Gwarzo Local Government Area, killing two people, injuring several others, and rustling a large number of cattle. On May 9, armed men stormed a community in Tsanyawa Local Government Area, killing five people and stealing numerous cattle. The rising tide of violence has forced many farmers and herders to abandon their land, leading to food insecurity and displacement.
For Alhaji Sakalawa and his companions, the immediate concern is how to recover from the loss of their rams. They have appealed to the government and well-meaning individuals to assist them in recouping their investment, but with the Eid al-Adha market now just days away, the chances of recovering the stolen animals are slim. "We don't even know where to start," Sakalawa said, his voice heavy with despair. "We only hope that the police will find the people who did this and bring them to justice, so that other traders will not suffer the same fate."
As Nigeria grapples with its security challenges, the story of the 11 rams stolen in Bebeji serves as a stark reminder that the cost of insecurity is not just measured in lives lost, but also in livelihoods destroyed, businesses bankrupted, and families pushed deeper into poverty. Unless decisive action is taken to secure the nation's roads and protect its citizens, every trader, every traveller, and every Nigerian will remain a potential target.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments