Terrorists suspected to be members of the Lakurawa group attacked Kebbe community in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Friday, targeting both residents and soldiers.
The attack, which reportedly triggered a fierce gun battle between the terrorists and troops, was confirmed by the military authorities, who said reinforcements were deployed to repel the attackers and restore calm in the area.
The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division, Nigerian Army and Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, confirmed the attack, saying reinforcements were deployed to pursue the terrorists.
“There was an attack there yesterday by Lakurawa terrorists. They attacked our soldiers and the community. Reinforcement was sent to chase the terrorists. Currently, the situation is under control,” Osoba said.
The attack reportedly occurred at about 10 a.m., when the heavily armed terrorists arrived in the community on motorcycles and moved through the town before breaking into shops and looting mobile phones, food items and petrol.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers arrived on motorcycles carrying sophisticated weapons.
He said he counted more than 200 motorcycles as the terrorists moved through the community, breaking into shops and carting away goods.
The resident added that the attackers also stormed the area police headquarters and later entered the Kebbe General Hospital, where they damaged a vehicle belonging to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), which was parked within the hospital premises.
He, however, said there was no report of civilians or police officers being killed at the police headquarters.
The terrorists later attacked a military camp on the outskirts of the town, triggering a fierce gun battle with troops.
The resident claimed that three soldiers were killed during the confrontation, while a fourth soldier who sustained injuries was evacuated to a hospital but later died.
However, the military has not confirmed the reported number of military casualties.
Osoba said reinforcement had been deployed to pursue the attackers and that the situation was currently under control.
A security source who confirmed the incident also said the attackers were suspected to have come from Bukkuyyum in neighbouring Zamfara State.
The attack comes amid heightened military operations against Lakurawa and other terrorist groups operating across communities in the North-West, particularly along the Sokoto-Zamfara border axis.
