Gunmen stormed Fingila checkpoint in Kebbi State, killing a Customs officer and sparking fear among locals as insecurity worsens in the region.
The killing of a Kebbi Customs officer killed during a gunmen attack at Fingila checkpoint in Dandi Local Government Area has deepened anxiety across Kebbi State.
Locals now fear for their safety as insecurity continues to spread through Nigeria’s Northwest.
According to villagers, the suspected Lakuwara gunmen, numbering about seven, stormed farmlands in Fingila on motorcycles before moving to the main road.
Heavily armed, they confiscated food from farmers, forced them to taste their meals, and then ate the remainder themselves.
“They told us farming was forbidden that day and ordered us off the land,” said Malam Abdulrasheed, a farmer who witnessed the attack. “People ran in fear, leaving their crops behind.”
This disruption adds to concerns about food insecurity in the region, where farmers already struggle with repeated raids and violence.
After driving the farmers away, the gunmen advanced to the Fingila checkpoint. There, they spotted a Customs officer seated near a mosque.
Witnesses said the assailants fired multiple shots. The first bullet missed, but the officer attempted to escape into a nearby maize field. A second shot wounded him, and a third proved fatal inside the crops.
Two other officers narrowly escaped death by crawling through the maize field, sustaining only minor injuries.
Community members confirmed that the slain officer was originally from Maiduguri in Borno State. He had become familiar to locals for frequently sitting by the mosque during breaks from duty.
“He was friendly and approachable,” a community elder said. “We saw him every day, and his death feels like a personal loss to the entire village.”
The case of a Kebbi Customs officer killed in broad daylight illustrates the growing boldness of armed groups in Kebbi and neighboring states.
Analysts note that gunmen now target not only rural farmers but also security operatives, showing how fragile safety has become.
Security expert Musa Ibrahim told reporters that such attacks highlight a dangerous trend.
“These groups are expanding their reach. Once they openly confront armed personnel, it sends a chilling message to both communities and the government,” he warned.
For farmers in Dandi LGA, the situation is becoming unbearable. Being chased off farmlands by gunmen means lost harvests, hunger, and poverty. With agriculture as their main livelihood, many fear abandoning farming altogether.
“If these attacks continue, food scarcity will hit hard,” Abdulrasheed lamented. “Families here depend on the farms, but now we are too afraid to work.”
At the time of reporting, the Nigerian Customs Service had not released an official statement. However, civil society groups and residents are demanding urgent security measures.
“The killing of this officer should be a wake-up call,” said Amina Yusuf, a women’s leader in the community.
“If Customs officers can be killed so easily, ordinary people stand no chance. We need soldiers, more patrols, and serious action from government.”
Experts suggest better intelligence gathering, joint security operations, and more protective measures for officers stationed in remote areas.
For Fingila residents, mourning has been mixed with fear. Families now avoid evening activities, while farmers remain hesitant to return to their fields. The checkpoint, once a symbol of safety, is now a reminder of vulnerability.
“The people are grieving,” said community elder Mallam Bello. “But the fear is greater — we don’t know when or where they will strike again.”
The story of a Kebbi Customs officer killed at Fingila checkpoint is not just about one life lost. It represents the larger crisis of insecurity devastating communities across Northwest Nigeria.
Farmers are being driven off their lands, livelihoods are collapsing, and even those tasked with protecting the people are themselves becoming targets.
Unless urgent action is taken to restore safety, Kebbi risks deeper instability. For now, the death of the Kebbi Customs officer killed stands as both a tragedy and a warning: without stronger protection, rural communities and frontline officers remain dangerously exposed to gunmen who grow bolder by the day.
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