At least 15 people were reportedly killed on Sunday when suspected Lakurawa terrorists attacked Kwalajiya village in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State, opening fire on residents during early morning prayers and nearby farmers on their way to the fields.
Eyewitnesses said the armed men stormed the village on motorcycles and began shooting indiscriminately at worshippers observing dawn prayers in a local mosque before targeting farmers around the outskirts of the village. The attack, which lasted for several hours, threw the community into chaos and forced several residents to flee into the surrounding bush for safety.
Local sources said the attackers are believed to be members of the Lakurawa terrorist gang, which has been active in the eastern axis of Sokoto and parts of neighbouring Niger Republic. Tangaza LGA has witnessed a rise in such assaults over the past year, with villagers repeatedly appealing for stronger security presence.
Authorities in Sokoto have yet to issue an official statement on the incident, but local vigilante leaders say security forces have begun a manhunt in the affected area. Community leaders have called on the federal government to urgently intervene and secure the region from further bloodshed.
