More than 300 suspected Lakurawa militants riding motorcycles reportedly invaded Kebbe town in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Friday, engaging security forces in a gun battle before attacking shops, vehicles and a hospital.
The heavily armed attackers were said to have entered the town at about 10 a.m., causing panic among residents and forcing people to flee their homes and businesses.
A security source said soldiers stationed at a military base on the outskirts of Kebbe opened fire on the militants as they approached the town.
The source claimed that four soldiers were killed during the exchange of gunfire.
However, the reported casualty figure could not be independently confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
The spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed that an attack took place in Kebbe but said the command was still gathering information on the incident.
Rufai said he could not confirm the reported death of four soldiers or any other casualty figure.
He added that the command would issue an official statement after receiving full details from its personnel and other security agencies operating in the area.
According to the security source, the attackers engaged the soldiers before moving into the centre of Kebbe, particularly the Sabon Gari area.
The militants were said to have broken into several shops and made away with large quantities of mobile phones and bread.
Their activities reportedly caused fear among residents, with many people staying indoors or fleeing to safer locations as the attackers moved through parts of the town.
The source also alleged that the militants attacked a military vehicle equipped with a mounted rocket-propelled grenade.
The vehicle was reportedly hit during the attack, with three of its tyres damaged and its windscreen shattered.
The attackers later moved towards the General Hospital, Kebbe, where they allegedly vandalised vehicles parked within the hospital premises.
Among the vehicles reportedly damaged were a vehicle belonging to the Divisional Police Officer and an ambulance used by the hospital.
The militants were also alleged to have seized mobile phones belonging to patients at the hospital.
The source said the attackers later took away four motorcycles belonging to residents before withdrawing from the town.
The militants reportedly left Kebbe in the evening, moving towards communities west of the town.
The source said reports from communities in that direction indicated that the attackers later entered Ungushi, a district in Kebbe Local Government Area.
“As of the time of writing this report, we have not seen the body of even one Lakurawa fighter that the soldiers succeeded in killing,” the source said.
This suggested that despite the reported exchange of fire between the militants and security forces, there was no confirmed information on casualties among the attackers.
The development has raised fresh concerns over the activities and movement of Lakurawa fighters in parts of Sokoto and neighbouring states.
The group has emerged as a security concern in parts of north-western Nigeria, particularly in areas close to the country’s borders with Niger and other neighbouring countries.
The movement of armed groups on motorcycles has also remained a major security challenge in several communities across the North, where difficult terrain and long distances between settlements can make it difficult for security agencies to respond quickly to attacks.
Kebbe Local Government Area is located in the western part of Sokoto State and shares a border with the Niger Republic. Its location makes security monitoring important, particularly because of the movement of people and goods across communities near the international border.
The latest attack is therefore likely to increase pressure on security agencies to strengthen patrols and intelligence gathering in Kebbe and surrounding communities.
The reported presence of hundreds of armed men in the town also raises questions about how the group was able to move into the area in such large numbers.
Residents in affected communities are expected to remain alert while security agencies continue efforts to establish the identity and whereabouts of the attackers.
The incident also highlights the difficulties faced by security personnel operating in rural and border communities, where armed groups can use motorcycles and other means of transportation to move quickly between settlements.
The police have yet to provide a full account of the attack, while the military has not officially confirmed the reported death of four soldiers.
It is also unclear whether any civilians were killed or injured during the incident.
The reported attack on the hospital is particularly troubling because medical facilities are generally regarded as places where civilians should be able to seek treatment without fear of attack.
The alleged seizure of patients’ phones and destruction of vehicles could further affect the ability of the facility to provide services to residents.
Residents and security sources will now be looking to the authorities for more information about the incident, particularly the actual number of attackers, casualties suffered by security forces and civilians, and the current location of the militants.
The police spokesman said the command was still gathering information and would make its position known after obtaining details from the scene.
Security agencies are also expected to increase their presence in Kebbe and nearby communities to prevent the attackers from returning or carrying out further raids.
The attack comes amid continuing security concerns across parts of the North-West, where communities have faced threats from armed groups, bandits and other criminal elements.
The situation has placed additional demands on the military, police and other security agencies to improve coordination and intelligence sharing.
For residents of Kebbe, however, the immediate concern is the safety of their communities and the return of normal activities following the reported invasion.
The authorities are expected to clarify the situation as more information becomes available, including whether the reported four soldiers were killed and whether any members of the Lakurawa group were neutralised during the gun battle.
Until an official account is released, the casualty figures and other details surrounding the attack remain unconfirmed.