At least 21 people are believed to have lost their lives, while 37 others were kidnapped after heavily armed terrorists invaded Tsamaye community in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The latest assault, which was the second on the community within a week, also forced thousands of residents to flee their homes.
According to an eyewitness, the attack began around 9:00 p.m. on Monday and continued until after 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday. During the raid, two houses were set ablaze, livestock were stolen, and the community was left deserted.
Residents identified some of those killed as Kabiru Tanimu, Ayuba Hashim and Yakubu Mu’azu, while many others remain unaccounted for.
The incident came just days after terrorists attacked the same community last Wednesday, killing eight people, including three worshippers inside a mosque, further underscoring the deteriorating security situation in Sabon Birni Local Government Area.
Sabon Birni remains one of the areas most severely affected by insecurity in Sokoto State and the wider North-West, where armed groups continue to carry out deadly attacks, mass kidnappings and widespread displacement despite ongoing military operations.
Residents said another tragedy unfolded as villagers attempted to escape across a river after receiving reports that the terrorists were approaching.
They explained that overcrowded boats overturned, throwing about 25 people—mostly women and children—into the river.
Seven people were reportedly rescued, while 18 others are feared to have drowned as relatives continued searching for those still missing.
A resident preparing to flee the village said the attackers confirmed they had abducted 37 people after family members called the victims’ phones.
“When we called our relatives, the bandits answered the phones and told us they were the ones who abducted them. They said they had taken 37 people,” he said.
He added that although some victims were seized inside the community, many were captured in nearby farms where they had sought refuge at night because of repeated attacks.
“Because of the frequent attacks, many people no longer sleep in the village. They spend the night in farms and bushes to avoid being attacked. This time, the terrorists searched through the farms, woke people up and took them away.”
“Most of those abducted were women and children. I personally saw three infants placed on the ground by the terrorists while they led their mothers away,’’ the resident said.
He further lamented that security personnel were alerted early about the invasion, but reinforcements did not arrive until after the attackers had completed their operation and departed.
“We excused them during the previous attack because the terrorists had surrounded them and were firing at them. But this time, they were informed early enough, yet nobody came to rescue us,” he added.
Another resident, who escaped to Sokoto metropolis early on Tuesday, said the village had been abandoned as people fled for safety.
“We fled to Sokoto because we have never experienced terror like what happened last Wednesday night. About 40 of us escaped here, and everyone is now staying with relatives,” he said.
A local vigilante, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the attackers entered the village at about 8:00 p.m., moving from house to house and forcing residents to identify wealthy families and locations where livestock were kept.
“Some people managed to escape and alerted us. We informed the security operatives stationed in our village and asked them to support us so we could confront the terrorists but they told us they did not have adequate equipment.
‘’We also contacted our traditional leader, but there was little he could do, apart from sympathising with us. When the gunfire intensified, we had no option but to hide,’’ the vigilante said.
He stressed that security operatives urgently need Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to effectively tackle attacks across the difficult terrain.
According to him, fewer than 20 residents remain in the community following the attack, while more than 100 vehicles have transported displaced villagers out of the area since Tuesday evening.
“From yesterday until today, nobody has eaten because of the trauma and panic caused by the attack,” he said.
Residents also disclosed that the attackers burned down two houses belonging to Lawwali Ta’u Mai Chaji and Hassan Hasken Halara, a member of the vigilante group.
“Our colleague was with us defending the village when his house was burnt. We only found ashes afterwards. We cannot even determine how many members of his family or livestock died in the fire because everything was reduced to ashes,” the vigilante said.
The attack also forced residents of neighbouring communities, including Borai, Tsululu, Garin Tudu, Bukka Hamsin, Turkawa, Rumbukawa, Dutsin Na Umma, Zangon Mu’azu, Arawa, Kuru, Zangon Mallam, Mai Hurde, Zugun, Gidan Na Birni, Mashaya, Marina and several others, to flee.
The displaced residents appealed to both the Federal Government and the Sokoto State Government to deploy additional security personnel and provide APCs to enable security agencies reclaim the area and facilitate the safe return of displaced families.
The Chairman of Sabon Birni Local Government Area, Ayuba Hashimu, confirmed that the attack occurred but said he could not immediately verify the reported casualty figures.
“The incidents, indeed, happened but I was not there myself. Therefore, I have to verify the figures before I can confirm them,” he said.
The spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, Ahmad Rufai, also confirmed the incident, stating that additional security personnel had been deployed to restore peace and prevent further attacks in the affected communities.
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