At least 32 people were reportedly killed in a bandit attack on Ungushi, Sokoto, as residents fled their homes and security forces moved into the affected area.
At least 32 people have reportedly been killed after suspected bandits launched a prolonged attack on Ungushi community in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The assault, which lasted for several hours and continued into the following day, forced residents to flee their homes and seek refuge in surrounding communities, farms and other safer locations.
Community members said the attackers arrived on Friday afternoon while residents were observing Jumu’a prayers.
According to local sources, the armed men entered the community at about 2:15pm and initially positioned their motorcycles around a mosque.
A resident who witnessed the incident said the attackers disrupted the prayers before moving into different parts of the community. Five people were allegedly killed during the first phase of the attack.
The situation reportedly became more chaotic after the assailants temporarily withdrew. Residents who remained in the area began making arrangements to bury those who had been killed.
However, the attackers returned and allegedly shot two additional people before launching a wider assault on the town.
“They started coming from different directions, shooting continuously and surrounding the town,” one of the residents said.
With gunshots ringing out from different parts of the community, residents reportedly ran in different directions in an attempt to escape.
Some locked themselves inside their homes, while others fled towards a nearby hill believed to offer some protection from the attackers.
One resident said he managed to make his way to the hill by jumping across compounds as the bandits advanced.
He claimed that the attackers were giving instructions to their men to target adult males while women and children were spared.
The situation became even more dangerous when the attackers reportedly turned their weapons towards the people hiding on the hill.
The resident said he watched helplessly as some of those who had sought refuge with him were shot.
“I saw some people who were with me on the hill being killed. By God’s grace, I managed to descend behind the hill and escaped into a farm, where I hid,” he recounted.
The attackers reportedly remained in Ungushi until about 1am on Saturday before leaving the area. Their withdrawal, however, did not bring an immediate end to the violence.
According to the resident, the suspected bandits returned in the morning and resumed their attacks, during which more residents were allegedly killed.
Security personnel eventually arrived in the area, reportedly forcing the attackers to retreat.
Residents were unable to immediately return to their homes because of concerns that the assailants could come back. It was not until Sunday that some community members began entering the area to search for victims and recover bodies.
One of the residents said funeral prayers were conducted for some of the victims while others continued searching different locations for bodies.
He claimed that a total of 32 bodies had been recovered and buried by Sunday.
The actual death toll could not be independently established, particularly because many residents had fled the community and communication networks in the area were reportedly unreliable.
The same resident also claimed that members of the community killed 13 of the attackers during the prolonged confrontation. He said he personally saw the bodies of the alleged bandits before they were reportedly taken away by their colleagues.
The claim regarding the number of attackers killed could not be independently verified.
The violence also resulted in the destruction of property. At least seven houses, two shops and three vehicles were reportedly set on fire during the attack.
The resident said rainfall helped to prevent the flames from spreading further, limiting the extent of the damage.
Several neighbouring communities were also reportedly affected by the activities of the armed men.
According to the account, the attackers moved into Umbutu, Maikurhuna, Gwandi, Girkau and Zugu, where they allegedly took away large numbers of livestock and other valuables.
Unlike Ungushi, residents in those communities were not reported to have suffered fatalities during the attacks, although many were forced to abandon their homes.
There were also reports of military intervention in the area.
The resident said a military aircraft reportedly carried out an operation around Indiri at about 6pm on Sunday. The aerial operation was said to have caused the attackers to flee from the direction of Zugu.
The security situation has triggered a wave of displacement, with residents reportedly escaping to larger towns across Sokoto and neighbouring Kebbi State.
Some of the locations where displaced residents were said to have sought refuge include Kebbe, Jega, Koko, Tambuwal, Aleiro, Agwada, Andarai and Jandutsi.
The number of people who remain in the affected communities is still uncertain.
A resident familiar with the situation said poor telecommunications services had made it difficult to contact people in the affected villages and obtain reliable information about the extent of the attack.
He said some of his relatives working on farms in the area had described the number of attackers as overwhelming.
He also linked the latest violence to the killing of four soldiers in Kebbe on Friday, saying the attackers subsequently moved towards Ungushi and other surrounding communities.
Meanwhile, the presence of senior military officers in Kebbe has offered some reassurance to residents.
The General Officer Commanding, 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Sokoto, reportedly visited the area on Sunday evening with more than 200 soldiers and several armed Hilux vehicles.
Residents welcomed the visit, expressing hope that the deployment would lead to sustained security operations and prevent further attacks.
One community member urged the government to pay greater attention to people living in remote settlements, particularly during the rainy season when poor road conditions can make it difficult for security personnel to reach vulnerable communities quickly.
A displaced resident of Gwandi also described the fear that has gripped communities in the area.
He said suspected bandits first entered Gwandi around noon but did not immediately attack residents. They allegedly returned later when residents were observing Isha’i prayers, prompting people to flee into the bush.
The displaced resident said he and others spent two days hiding without food while the attackers moved through the community.
“They entered the village and stole our livestock and other valuables,” he said.
He added that one resident was shot and sustained injuries that resulted in a broken bone. Another person who had previously been abducted was reportedly released.
According to him, most residents have now left the community, with only a few people remaining behind.
He appealed to the government to strengthen security operations and create a safe environment for displaced families to return home.
“We know the government is making efforts, but we want it to do more so that we can return to our homes safely,” he said.
The Sokoto State Police Command said it was not aware of the full details surrounding the reported killings when contacted.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, however, acknowledged that military personnel had visited the affected area.
“We don’t have these details, but I know the military had visited the place,” the commissioner said.
With residents still displaced and reports of casualties varying, the full scale of the violence remains unclear.
Further clarification from security authorities is expected as assessments continue and more information emerges from the affected communities.
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