THE Kebbi State Police command has confirmed the death of 16 villagers following a deadly bandit attack on Tungan Taura and Tungan Ladan communities in Augie Local Government Area.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Nafiu Abubakar, on Monday, April 7, said the attack occurred around 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, 2025.
According to him, the assailants, suspected to be members of the notorious Lakurawa group, invaded the villages in large numbers, launching a violent assault.
“The attackers, who arrived in large numbers, rustled an unspecified number of cattle and engaged in a deadly confrontation with community members, which led to the tragic loss of sixteen lives,” the statement read.
Reacting to the incident, the statement added that the state Commissioner of Police, Bello Sani, condemned the killings and vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
He also announced the immediate deployment of additional tactical units comprising police operatives, military personnel, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and local vigilante groups to the affected areas.
“Our resolve to rid Kebbi State of banditry and other violent crimes remains firm. We are deploying all available resources to ensure that the perpetrators of this senseless act are brought to justice,” Sani stated.
The commissioner, while urging residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies, added that normalcy has since been restored in the communities.
The ICIR reports that Lakurawa is an emerging terrorist group operating between Sokoto and Kebbi states in Nigeria; they are known for carrying out attacks, cattle rustling, and other criminal activities.
They enforce zakkat payment, confiscating cattle from non-compliers. Similar to Boko Haram, they communicate in Azbinanci, Zabarmanci, Barbanci, and Hausa. Lakurawa recruits you
ths with ₦1,000,000, according to reports.
This incident followed past attacks by the group in Kebbi state.
On January 2, over 50 Lakurawa fighters attacked a checkpoint on the Augie-Kangiwa road, killing two policemen before raiding a ranch near Natsini village.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M