At least 12 people, including a police inspector, have been killed in a series of attacks by suspected Lakurawa and Mamudawa terrorists on communities along the River Niger in Kebbi State.
The attacks, which occurred between October 22 and 28, affected Karwa, Kestu and Waiwayi communities in the Besse/Shanga riverine axis, leaving homes and motorcycles burnt, shops looted and several communities largely deserted.
Residents fled their homes following the attacks, with survivors seeking safety in neighbouring communities.
The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed the death of 12 people, comprising a police inspector and 11 other victims. However, some local sources alleged that more than 23 people were killed across Koko-Besse and Shanga communities, although the higher figure has not been independently verified.
According to accounts, the suspected terrorists moved along the River Niger corridor from Kaoje in Bagudo Local Government Area towards Besse, attacking communities as they travelled.
A resident, Aminu Usman, described the attacks as unexpected and devastating.
“No one expected attack. They burnt houses and looted property,” he said.
Another resident disclosed that one man lost four members of his family during the violence, adding that only a few people remained in some of the affected villages.
Police explain rising death toll
The Police Public Relations Officer in Kebbi State, SP Bashir Usman, said the attacks did not happen in one location or on a single day, explaining that the casualties accumulated over several incidents.
He said the first attack on communities around Karwa, Kestu and Waiwayi occurred on October 22 but was repelled by security operatives.
The assailants reportedly returned on October 26 and 28.
According to the police, five people were killed on October 26, while seven others died in subsequent attacks on October 28.
“The casualties recorded were not in a single attack. They attacked many of the communities in the riverine area, and that is why the figure of those killed rose to 12. A police inspector and 11 others were killed in the attacks,” Usman said.
The police said joint security teams engaged the attackers, although the violence continued across several settlements.
The command also announced the deployment of tactical personnel to the troubled communities to prevent further attacks and restore normalcy.
Vigilantes, reprisal attacks worsen crisis
The violence along the Besse/Shanga axis has also been accompanied by deadly confrontations involving local vigilantes known as Yan Sakai.
According to the police, armed Yan Sakai members invaded Samanaji Market on October 22 following rumours of cattle rustling and an impending attack by suspected Lakurawa elements.
Three Fulani traders were killed, while three other people were reportedly injured.
A police inspector deployed with tactical teams to restore order was also injured during the incident, according to the police account given at the time.
Subsequent reprisal attacks reportedly affected Karwa, Tunga Hako and Buma villages, where several Fulani settlements were burnt, forcing residents to flee.
Police spokesman Usman said the command deployed tactical teams from Besse to prevent further bloodshed.
The sequence of attacks and reprisals has raised concerns about the vulnerability of both settled communities and pastoral populations in the area.
Earlier killings in Kaoje
The latest attacks followed an earlier assault on Lafagu and other communities in the Boya area of Kaoje, where suspected Lakurawa fighters reportedly killed the village head, Alhaji Saidu Mujeli, and six other people.
Aliyu Tailor Besse, a local resident, said the gunmen were moving from one community to another along the River Niger.
“After attacking Kaoje in Bagudo LGA, they started moving along River Niger up to Koko Besse. They were attacking communities along the river as they moved. Those who saw them raised alarm. Some left. Many stayed behind and died,” he said.
Retired Captain Shehu Abubakar attributed the movement of the terrorists to pressure from the newly established military presence in Kaoje.
He argued that the armed group might have been searching for alternative bases after leaving areas where security forces had increased their presence.
Abubakar said the attackers moved through Samanaji, Dutsinmari and Zaria Kalakala before reaching Karwa, Kestu and Waiwayi.
He urged security agencies to pursue the armed groups and prevent them from establishing new operational bases.
Military expands presence, but attacks persist
The latest violence has renewed questions about the effectiveness of security deployments in Kebbi State.
The Nigerian Army announced the operationalisation of three strategic formations in the state in September 2026.
They include the 28 Armoured Brigade and Garrison in Birnin Kebbi, the 281 Tank Battalion in Yauri and the 381 Artillery Regiment in Kaoje.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, said the new formations were designed to expand the military’s operational footprint, improve command and control, strengthen security operations and enhance response times to emerging threats.
The development was also welcomed by the Kebbi State Government, which said the additional formations would improve the protection of vulnerable communities.
However, the continued attacks have raised questions about the ability of security agencies to translate the increased military presence into lasting protection for rural residents.
Fresh attacks across Kebbi
The violence is not limited to the Besse/Shanga riverine communities.
On October 23, gunmen invaded Dirin-Daji in Sakaba Local Government Area and abducted two women from the residence of a local political figure, Alhaji Aminu Mai Suga, popularly known as AA Suga.
Two other women were reportedly shot during the invasion.
A subsequent military operation led to the rescue of the abducted women and the arrest of four suspected bandits, according to reports published on October 25.
Earlier, three people were killed during an attack on Kasabo community in Saminaka, Yauri Local Government Area, in an incident reported on October 8.
The governor, Nasir Idris, subsequently visited the community and announced a donation of N116 million to victims’ families and the affected community.
Also in October, suspected Lakurawa fighters attacked a construction site along the Badagry-Ilela Super Highway project at Gubba in Maiyama Local Government Area.
Two soldiers providing security and a Chinese national working at the site were killed.
The police said the attackers had reportedly entered Kebbi through the Kebbe area of neighbouring Sokoto State.
These incidents underline the geographical spread of security challenges facing the state, particularly in communities bordering neighbouring states and along important transport and economic corridors.
Government’s security spending under scrutiny
Despite the growing military presence and reported investments in security equipment, residents continue to face killings, displacement, kidnappings and destruction of property.
A government official, who spoke to Daily Trust on condition of anonymity, claimed that Governor Nasir Idris had procured 109 armoured vehicles and other logistics for security agencies.
However, the figure of 109 vehicles could not be independently verified.
Separately, the Kebbi State Government has publicly acknowledged receiving 13 armoured operational vehicles presented by the Nigeria Police Force, according to an official government announcement.
The government has yet to provide a detailed public response specifically addressing the latest wave of attacks in the Besse/Shanga riverine communities.
Residents await protection
The attacks have left many families displaced and livelihoods destroyed, with residents uncertain about when they can safely return home.
Although authorities have urged displaced residents to return, confidence in the security situation remains a major concern.
The police say additional tactical teams have been deployed and investigations are ongoing.
For residents of Karwa, Kestu, Waiwayi and neighbouring settlements, however, the immediate concern is whether security forces can prevent another attack.
With the military expanding its presence and the state government reporting substantial investments in security equipment, the latest killings have intensified demands for more effective intelligence gathering, rapid intervention and sustained protection of vulnerable communities.
The central question remains whether increased security deployments will finally translate into safety for people living along Kebbi’s increasingly troubled riverine corridor.
● Additional report by Daily Trust.