Suspected Lakurawa Members K!ll 15 in Sokoto Village Attack.

Suspected members of the Lakurawa group have k!lled 15 people in an attack on Kwalajiya village in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The ass@ult, which took place around 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, is believed to be a reprisal following the k!ll!ng of three group members” including a suspected leader during a previously failed attack on the community.

A local leader, speaking anonymously, told journalists that the attackers stormed the village while residents were observing the Zuhr (afternoon) prayer. 

“We were in the mosque when they invaded in large numbers,” the source said. 
“They opened fire indiscriminately, targeting both worshippers and villagers working on their farms.”

He added that security personnel and the chairman of the local government visited the village on Wednesday for the burial of the victims. 

“This is the first time Lakurawa members have attacked our village directly,” he noted. 

“But I believe it was a retaliatory strike after three of their members were k!lled in the failed attack.”

Another community source suggested the violence may have stemmed from mounting local resistance to the group’s influence.

A village leader had recently warned residents against allowing their daughters to marry Lakurawa members, a stance that reportedly angered the group. 

“They were unhappy with this stance and decided to attack us,” the source added.

“We are calling on the government to act swiftly before they wipe us out and seize control of our communities.”

Another eyewitness reported that the attackers set fire to farmlands and torched multiple homes.

“They didn’t harm any women, but they k! lled our men and destroyed all our food items, including goods in shops,” the resident said. 
“They also burned down some houses.”

Following the attack, the village was completely deserted as residents fled to nearby towns for safety. 

“I’m currently staying with relatives in the city, while some of our people have relocated to Gidan Madi, the headquarters of Tangaza LGA,” a displaced resident said.

She added that the group destroyed the village’s telecommunications mast, cutting off all mobile network access. 
“We’re calling on the government to deploy security operatives and restore our telecommunications network, which we rely on to alert authorities about the attackers’ movements.”

Sokoto State Police Command spokesman DSP Ahmed Rufa’i confirmed the incident but said the exact number of c@sualties has yet to be verified. However, a source in the local government confirmed that 15 people were killed, and seven others suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to the hospital.

“We have just concluded the burial of the victims,” he said.

“Additional security personnel are expected to be deployed to prevent further violence.”