A community in Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Kasuwar Daji, and Lajinge village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, came under coordinated attacks by suspected terrorists late Saturday, leaving at least 18 people, including six soldiers, dead.
The assaults also resulted in the abduction of no fewer than 75 residents in Zamfara, while a father and his two sons were among six people burnt alive during the Sokoto attack.
Sources told Vanguard that the armed assailants stormed Kasuwar Daji at about 11:30 p.m. after reportedly overpowering the military outpost in the community.
According to the sources, six soldiers lost their lives during the attack, while more than 70 residents were abducted and taken into the forest.
A resident, Alhaji Aminu Kasuwar Daji, said the attackers arrived in large numbers and immediately opened heavy gunfire before overrunning the military position.
“Our calls to Zamfara State and the federal government is to come to the aide of Zamfara people generally on this insecurity bedivelling the state.
‘’We really in danger if terrorists can overpower the military and succeed in their attacks on innocent citizens,” Aminu Kasuwar Daji said.
Former Deputy Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Namadi Kasuwar Daji, also confirmed the invasion of the community and the abduction of several residents.
He explained that although he was outside the state when the incident occurred, relatives informed him of the attack.
”I was told that the terrorists even killed soldiers but I was not told the actual number, again I was told that the terrorists, after looting shops for foodstuffs, drinks and other properties, also abducted unspecified number of residents whom they took to the bush,’’ he said.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said he had not been briefed on the incident but promised to verify it with officers in the affected area.
He had yet to provide an update as of press time.
12 killed in Sokoto attack
In Sokoto State, at least 12 people were killed when suspected terrorists invaded Lajinge village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area.
Residents said the attackers struck at about 11 p.m. on Saturday and remained in the community until around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday without any security response.
One resident, who requested anonymity, said 11 victims died from gunshot wounds, while a woman identified as Agada reportedly died after collapsing from the shock of the attack.
He added that six victims were burnt alive after the attackers surrounded the room where they had sought refuge.
“They ordered those inside to come out but they refused. The attackers then poured petrol on the room and opened fire. When those inside attempted to escape through the door, they kept shooting at them. Their bodies were left inside the burning room,” he said.
The victims killed in the fire were identified as the head of the household, Mallam Wauro, popularly known as Mallam Roro, his two sons, Ukasha and Mujaheed, two relatives, Sufyanu and Sani Shanbami, and an internally displaced person who had been sheltering in the house.
The source further disclosed that another resident, Lawwali, was shot dead at the entrance of the house while trying to escape, bringing the number of fatalities within the compound to seven.
He said the remaining victims, including Yusuf and three internally displaced persons, were shot while attempting to flee the village.
Another resident, who participated in the community vigilante patrol that night, said they were stationed near the village primary school when the gunmen launched the attack.
“We were at the primary school guarding the village when we suddenly heard heavy gunfire. We all ran for safety and kept moving from one hiding place to another whenever the shooting came closer,” he said.
He explained that after overpowering the local vigilantes, the attackers moved through the village, looting livestock from one house after another.
“They stationed one of their rifles in a strategic location that kept firing while the others entered houses to steal livestock,” he said.
According to him, the gunmen later attacked the residence of Mallam Wauro, killed him and two of his sons, abducted his two wives and rustled all his cattle.
Residents said they were unable to immediately determine the total number of abducted persons because although many villagers were taken away, some, particularly children, were later released.
The community expressed frustration that despite the attack lasting nearly four hours, no security reinforcement arrived.
“The bandits stayed in our village for hours without any intervention. They even walked along the main road laughing and smoking cigarettes as if they had conquered the community,” one of the residents said.
They alleged that security personnel stationed at Unguwar Lalle and Dan Tudu, both about two kilometres from Lajinge, failed to respond despite repeated distress calls.
The residents said they had repeatedly appealed for a stronger security presence in the area but their requests had not been met.
They also recalled that eight residents were killed in the same community about three weeks ago.
“We are Nigerians and we have voter cards. We elected the government to protect our lives and property. We are pleading with the authorities to deploy security personnel to safeguard our communities,” one resident appealed.
The spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, said he was unaware of the incident, explaining that he was in transit and would verify the report on reaching his office.
He had not issued any further response as of press time.
