Thursday, May 14, 2026 - No fewer than two Customs officers were killed in the Tugar community, Bagudu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, by gunmen suspected to be members of the Lakurawa sect.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of
Wednesday, saw the officers attacked at their checkpoint in the community.
A source who spoke with our correspondent said one of the
victims, a senior officer, was burnt alive after the attackers set fire to the
building where he was sleeping.
He said the incident occurred at about 3am on Wednesday.
According to the source, “The gunmen attacked two
checkpoints that are very close to each other.
“They shot one officer, a junior officer, while they burnt
the senior officer alive.
“They came in a truck, disguised as if they were carrying
animals, which caught the officers unaware.
“Two other officers with gunshot injuries are currently
receiving treatment in the hospital.”
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria
Customs Service, Kebbi State Command, Mustapha Mubarak, said the command would
issue a statement after obtaining full details of the incident.
He neither confirmed nor denied the incident, saying, “We
will issue a statement once we get the full report.”
However, the spokesman for the Nigeria Police Force in Kebbi
State, SP Bashir Usman, condemned the attack and said security agencies were
working to apprehend the perpetrators.
He said, “The incident at Gendene is unfortunate, and
security agencies have since responded appropriately.
“Efforts are ongoing to apprehend those responsible and
prevent further security breaches,” he said.
Meanwhile, residents of Fanadi village in Suru Local
Government Area of the state recounted how they successfully repelled an attack
by suspected Lakurawa terrorists and recovered cows stolen during the raid.
The incident, which occurred late at night a few days ago,
has been described by locals as a show of courage, unity, and resilience in the
face of repeated security threats confronting rural communities in parts of the
state.
Speaking with our correspondent on Tuesday in a telephone
interview, a resident of Fanadi village and member of the local vigilante
group, Sani Bawa, said the attackers stormed the outskirts of the village at
about 11pm and intercepted a man, forcing him at gunpoint to identify houses
where cattle were kept.
“They met one man outside the village and ordered him at
gunpoint to show them houses with cows.
“Out of fear, he took them to different homes where they
untied the cattle and moved them into the bush,” he said.
Bawa explained that to avoid civilian casualties, youths and
vigilante members initially restrained residents from confronting the gunmen
while they were still in the village.
According to him, once the attackers moved into the forest
with the animals, the villagers organised themselves, tracked them, and
launched a counter-operation.
“We allowed them to move away first so innocent people would
not be caught in crossfire. Later, our youths and vigilantes surrounded them in
the bush and engaged them in a gun battle,” he said.
He added that the exchange of gunfire reportedly lasted from
midnight until about 4am, as both sides battled in the darkness.
Despite the intensity of the clash, Bawa said no fatalities
were recorded, although one youth sustained a minor leg injury.
“Only one boy was grazed by a bullet in the leg. He is
receiving treatment and doing well. There was no loss of life on our side,” he
stated.
The suspected terrorists eventually retreated, abandoning
the stolen cattle, which were later recovered and returned to their rightful
owners.
Residents, however, expressed fears that the attackers might
regroup and launch another assault.
Bawa disclosed that for the past three days, since the
encounter, many villagers and vigilante members had been sleeping in nearby
bushes to keep watch over the community.
“We know they can come back. Two days after the clash, we
saw them passing with another herd of rustled cows, though not from our
village. Since then, many of us have been sleeping outside to protect the
community,” he said.
While commending the administration of Governor Nasir Idris
for supporting vigilante groups and security agencies in the fight against
banditry, the villagers appealed to government authorities to provide them with
modern weapons to strengthen local defence efforts.
“We can defend our village, but we are using local guns
while they carry sophisticated weapons. Government should arm us so we can
protect ourselves better,” Bawa appealed.
Communities in parts of Kebbi State and neighbouring
northwestern states have continued to face attacks linked to cattle rustling,
banditry, and armed groups operating across remote border communities.
In many rural areas, residents often rely on vigilante
groups as first responders while awaiting security reinforcement.
Efforts to speak with the Nigeria Police Force, Kebbi State
Command, were unsuccessful, as its spokesman, SP Bashir Usman, could not be
reached as of the time of filing this report.
0 Comments