Residents of Ungushi community in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State, who were displaced by last Friday’s bandit attack, have recounted their harrowing experiences during the two-day assault on the village.
The attack, which occurred between Friday and Saturday, has left at least 34 people dead, with families separated and several residents still searching for missing relatives.
Residents said two more bodies were recovered from a bush in the community on Monday evening, bringing the number of bodies recovered to 34.
They said 32 bodies had earlier been recovered and buried between Sunday and Monday.
The residents also claimed that community members killed 13 bandits during the attack.
The woman who recently gave birth said she was at home when they suddenly heard gunshots.
She said she and other residents immediately fled through the back of their homes, climbed a nearby hill and continued running towards Kebbe.
‘We kept running, falling and getting up until we eventually reached Kebbe,’ she said.
According to her, the journey became more difficult after rain began to fall on Saturday.
‘The rain that fell on Saturday fell on us. My baby was almost thought to have died when we reached Kebbe because of the hardship he went through. It took hours before he regained consciousness,’ she said.
She said her daughter also travelled with them and suffered severe swelling in her legs because of the long journey.
The woman said the attack claimed several members of her family, including her father, Imam Aliyu Musa, the Chief Imam of the Izala mosque.
She identified another relative killed as her uncle, Uban Dankurma.
She said no assistance had been provided to the displaced residents since their arrival in Kebbe, which forced her to move to Sokoto to seek refuge with relatives.
‘I am still afraid to return to my community,’ she said.
The woman said she saw the bodies of several victims, including a child who was less than one year old.
‘Pregnant women stabbed to death’
Another woman, whose sister was killed, gave a more disturbing account of what she described as the treatment of pregnant women by the attackers.
She alleged that the attackers cut open the stomachs of three pregnant women, apparently in an attempt to see their unborn babies.
She identified the victims as Kura, Lalishi and Abba, saying they were between seven and eight months pregnant, while one was close to delivery.
The woman said she was also worried because she had not been able to establish the whereabouts of her husband.
She said many displaced residents were now struggling to find food and other necessities.
‘We are appealing for every kind of assistance. We want peace so that we can return to our homes and continue our lives,’ she said.
Another resident said residents fled towards a hill shortly after the shooting began.
He said the attackers later went from house to house, killing men they accused of belonging to local vigilante groups.
According to him, the attackers operated in the community for several hours without facing effective resistance.
‘They even cooked food and took their bath in our village without anyone attacking them to dislodge them,’ he said.
He said several bodies were still believed to be on the hill where residents sought refuge.
He added that the 32 bodies recovered and buried between Sunday and Monday were mainly those of people killed inside houses and along roads.
He feared the death toll could rise because some victims killed on the hill had yet to be recovered.
A resident who visited Ungushi on Monday and returned in the evening told a displaced associate in Kebbe that two more bodies had been found in the bush.
The latest discovery brought the reported death toll to 34.
The resident said families of the victims were still struggling to come to terms with the scale of the killings.
He said his family was staying at an aunt’s house in Kebbe, alongside other displaced residents and under difficult conditions.
He identified his brother, Alhaji Manu Dan Aljanna, as one of those killed. Another victim, he said, was Hussaini Yameji, a businessman from Zuru who was visiting the community.
A 65-year-old resident, whose son-in-law was among those killed, said his family was facing uncertainty after the attack.
He said he had not been able to locate his wife and two grown-up sons.
He said his family remained around the hill after the attack started before eventually escaping to Kebbe on Sunday.
An 18-year-old mother of two, whose father was killed, also recounted how the attackers found him hiding under his wife’s bed.
She said the attackers dragged him out and slaughtered him after discovering his hiding place.
The young mother said she had also not seen her husband since the attack and feared he could be among those killed.
She appealed to the government and other authorities to assist the displaced residents, many of whom, she said, were living in fear and uncertainty.
A resident also claimed that a military aircraft dropped bombs on the attackers around 6 pm on Sunday in Indiri, forcing them to flee towards Zugu.
The attack has left several communities in the area largely deserted as residents flee to larger towns in search of safety.
Security expert blames response failure
A security analyst, Dr Kabiru Jabo, has described the attack as a failure of the security response, saying the attackers operated for too long without effective intervention.
Jabo said the development showed the need to review the strategies being used to combat terrorism and banditry.
‘The attack shows failure on the part of those responsible for providing security, considering how long the terrorists operated without being stopped,’ he said.
He called for closer cooperation between security agencies and local communities to improve intelligence gathering, noting that residents were often better placed to detect suspicious movements and should be encouraged to report them promptly.
Jabo also stressed the need to equip security personnel adequately and improve their operational strategies.
He cited the reported killing of 13 attackers by residents of Ungushi as evidence of what communities could achieve when organised, but warned that civilians should not be left to confront heavily armed groups.
He said the attackers were not stronger than the government or better armed than security agencies.
‘They have only shown courage. Security personnel must also demonstrate courage and determination to confront them and end the problem,’ he said.
GOC visits Kebbe
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Bemgha Paul Koughna, has visited Kebbe, Sokoto State, to assess the security situation following renewed attacks allegedly linked to the Lakurawa terrorist group.
According to a statement by the Army, Koughna visited the Forward Operating Base and surrounding communities, where he met community leaders and residents.
He also reviewed the security architecture to prevent further terrorist infiltration and protect vulnerable border communities between Sokoto and Kebbi states.
The GOC assured residents that troops remained deployed and urged them to remain calm and provide credible intelligence on suspicious activities.
A resident said the GOC also visited on Sunday with more than 200 soldiers and armed Hilux vehicles, describing the deployment as encouraging.
Over 100 killed in less than 2 months
At least 107 people have been killed in separate bandit attacks across Sokoto State between July 2 and August 15, according to media reports and documented incidents.
The attacks occurred in several local government areas, with Sabon Birni recording repeated incidents.
On July 2, one person was killed and 43 were abducted in Takatsaba and Tarah communities in Sabon Birni.
Two days later, six people, including a village head and his son, were killed in Bodinga, while more than 30 villages were later deserted over persistent attacks.
On July 17, 13 people were killed in three communities in Sabon Birni, while two others were killed and five abducted at Kwaren Gamba on July 19.
On July 21, two people were killed and nine abducted in Wurno, while more than 50 residents were abducted at Garin Idi, Sabon Birni, the following day.
Four people were killed in Unguwan Lalle on July 27, while eight others were killed in Tsamaye and several residents were abducted on July 29.
On August 2, 12 people were killed and 22 abducted in Lajinge, while four others were killed in attacks on Gandi and Maikujera.
On August 3, 21 people were killed and 37 abducted in Tsamaye, triggering mass displacement.
Further attacks between August 4 and 15 claimed more lives in Kebbe, Goronyo, Tureta and Tambuwal, including at least 34 people killed in Ungushi and neighbouring communities.
The attacks have heightened fears among residents, with many communities reluctant to return home.