Tadurga village in Zuru Local Government Area of Kebbi State was thrown into mourning on Monday night following a deadly attack by suspected bandits who killed several residents, abducted many others, and stole livestock.
Eyewitnesses say the bandits stormed the village in large numbers, firing indiscriminately and creating widespread chaos.
Several shops were looted during the onslaught, and the attackers reportedly fled with a significant number of cattle.
A resident of the village, Audu Sule, who witnessed the incident, recounted the harrowing experience.
“They came en masse, shooting indiscriminately, broke into shops to loot items, then went on to kill as many as they could, abduct people, and rustle our cows,” Sule said.
He added that the scale of the violence was unexpected, especially under the current administration.
“Many residents were taken unawares and were surprised at the highest number of killing and kidnapping since the assumption of office of Governor, Nasir Idris assumed,” he noted.
Another resident, Abdullah Zuru, acknowledged that while the Zuru Emirate had previously enjoyed a period of relative calm, this recent attack came as a devastating setback.
“Despite this recent attack, Zuru Emirate has been experiencing relative peace,” he said.
Zuru further credited the earlier calm to the government’s determined efforts, which had enabled local farmers to return to their fields and enjoy a bountiful harvest before this latest resurgence in violence.
As of the time of filing this report, the spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, Nafiu Abubakar, had not responded to inquiries regarding the incident.