Bandits kill six, force residents to flee 30 Sokoto villages

Fresh bandit attacks have forced residents of at least 30 villages in Danchadi District of Bodinga Local Government Area of Sokoto State to abandon their homes after six people were killed and more than 1,000 livestock stolen in coordinated assaults that lasted for several hours.

The latest violence, which occurred between Wednesday and Thursday, has triggered another wave of displacement in communities already struggling with persistent insecurity, as hundreds of residents fled to neighbouring towns and villages in search of safety.

According to security sources, the attackers stormed Kyaluje and Dibarke villages, carrying out house-to-house looting, rustling livestock and killing residents before retreating without any reported confrontation from security forces.

Lirwanu Mafaran Kuwarun Sarkin Musulmi, the district head of Danchadi, said the gunmen invaded Kyaluje at about 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday and continued their operation until midnight, leaving a trail of destruction.

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He said the attackers looted homes and made away with more than 1,000 livestock, including cattle and camels, in what residents described as one of the largest raids on the district in recent months.

Among those killed was Bashar Kyaluje, the village’s Chief Imam, alongside two other residents, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries during the attack.

The district head disclosed that hundreds of displaced villagers are currently taking refuge in schools and with relatives in Danchadi, Bodinga and Sifawa, where local communities are providing temporary shelter despite limited resources.

He expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian situation, warning that many families had been left without food, shelter or means of livelihood after abandoning their homes and farms.

According to him, although some residents have begun returning to their communities to assess the damage and salvage their belongings, the absence of additional security deployments has heightened fears of renewed attacks.

He appealed to both the Sokoto State Government and the Federal Government to urgently deploy more security personnel to the affected communities, insisting that only sustained security operations would restore confidence among residents and enable displaced families to return home safely.

The latest incident underscores the growing security challenges confronting rural communities across Sokoto State, particularly in areas bordering forests that have become operational bases for armed groups engaged in banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling.

For years, communities in Sokoto’s eastern and southern local government areas, including Bodinga, Sabon Birni, Isa, Goronyo, Rabah and Tangaza, have witnessed repeated attacks by heavily armed bandits. The violence has claimed hundreds of lives, displaced thousands of residents and severely disrupted farming and commercial activities, which constitute the main source of livelihood for most rural households.

Security experts have repeatedly warned that attacks on farming communities not only threaten lives but also undermine agricultural production and food security, as many farmers are unable to cultivate their lands for fear of being attacked or kidnapped.

The rustling of livestock has also dealt a severe economic blow to affected families, with many losing assets accumulated over decades. In northern Nigeria, cattle, sheep and camels represent both a major source of income and a form of household savings, making such raids particularly devastating.

Despite repeated military operations against criminal gangs across the North-West, residents have continued to call for stronger intelligence gathering, improved surveillance and a sustained security presence in vulnerable rural communities to prevent further attacks.

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Community leaders have also urged governments at all levels to complement security operations with humanitarian assistance for displaced families and programmes aimed at rebuilding destroyed livelihoods.

As of the time of filing this report, the police and other relevant security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the latest attacks in Danchadi District. Residents, however, say urgent intervention is needed to prevent further displacement and restore normalcy to communities that have lived under the constant threat of bandit violence.