At least 25 people were killed and more than 30 others abducted after heavily armed assailants attacked a village in Nigeria's northwestern Sokoto State, local vigilante leaders said on Wednesday, while police confirmed the attack without providing an official casualty toll.
The assault took place overnight between Monday and Tuesday in Tsamaye village, located in the Sabo Birni district near the border with Niger.
"They arrived on motorcycles, firing indiscriminately and attacking people in their homes," Khalid Abubakar, a leader of a local self-defense militia, told EFE.
"We did everything we could to repel them, but the bandits were too many. They killed 25 people and abducted more than 30 others," he said.
Abubakar added that local vigilantes, supported by soldiers and police officers, have launched search operations in nearby forests to locate the attackers and rescue the abducted victims.
Sokoto State Police spokesperson Ahmed Rufai confirmed the incident but declined to verify the number of those killed or kidnapped.
"The incident occurred, but I cannot give the exact number of victims. We responded immediately after receiving the distress call. The situation in the area is now calm," Rufai said, confirming that community guards are assisting security forces in the ongoing operation.
A local resident, Saidu Aminu, said the attackers also set homes on fire, forcing many villagers to flee in fear of further violence.
"They shot at everyone in sight. Some people drowned in the river while trying to escape in a boat. We still don't know the actual number of victims because the boat capsized, and it is unclear whether all the bodies have been recovered," he said.
The attack highlights the persistent insecurity in northwestern Nigeria, where criminal gangs, commonly referred to as "bandits", regularly carry out deadly raids, mass kidnappings for ransom, and attacks on rural communities.
Frustrated by the inability of federal security forces to adequately protect remote areas, Sokoto State established the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps, formally integrating local vigilante groups into its security strategy.
Nigeria continues to face multiple security threats, including the long-running insurgency by the jihadist group Boko Haram in the country's northeast and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
In Sokoto and neighboring Kebbi State, the armed group Lakurawa, believed to have links to the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), has also been blamed for a series of attacks in recent years.
