Friday, September 11, 2026 - Gunmen have killed a resident and abducted an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission in an attack on Girkau village, Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The victim was identified as Mallam Samaila Abdullahi
Girkau, while the abducted INEC staff member was identified as Bala A. Ladan
Girkau, who works with the commission in Tambuwal.
The attack reportedly occurred on Thursday morning when the
armed men invaded the community and went away with the electoral officer.
Confirming the incident, the Sokoto State Police Command
spokesman, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said the command had received a report of the
attack and confirmed both the killing and abduction.
“Yes, we are aware of the attack. There was a killing and an
abduction,” Rufai said.
The police spokesman said the command was working to obtain
further details from the Divisional Police Officer responsible for the area.
“We are in contact with the DPO in charge of the area to
ascertain the full details of what happened, and our men are working on the
matter,” he added.
The latest attack came amid heightened security concerns in
Kebbe, which has witnessed a series of deadly attacks, abductions and cattle
rustling in recent weeks
On September 4, the police confirmed that five people were
killed and three others injured when suspected bandits attacked Girkau and
other communities within Girkau Ward. Residents also reported that several
people were abducted and a large number of cattle were rustled.
The September attack followed an earlier deadly assault on
communities in Kebbe in August, when the police confirmed the killing of 28
people in Ungushi. The Nigerian Army subsequently adjusted its security
architecture around Kebbe and adjoining communities following the attack and
intelligence that the assailants were still operating in the area.
Residents of Kebbe have also recently reported that
suspected bandits demanded a N40m levy from the community and threatened to
attack if the money was not raised. The police confirmed that it was aware of
the reported threat and said its Anti-Kidnapping Unit was working on the
information.
The repeated attacks have raised concerns over the safety of
residents in rural communities in Kebbe, with reports of people fleeing their
homes, livestock being rustled and normal economic and social activities being
disrupted.
The abduction of the INEC staff member adds another
dimension to the security challenge, particularly for officials who work in
remote communities. However, there was no immediate indication that the latest
abduction was connected to his electoral duties.
Security agencies are expected to intensify operations in
the area to secure the community and facilitate efforts to rescue the abducted
INEC staff member.
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