Police Inspector, 11 Others K!lled As Terrorists B¥rn Homes, Force Residents To Fl£e Kebbi Village
Police Inspector, 11 Others Killed As Terrorists Burn Homes, Force Residents To Flee Kebbi Village
The Command identified the attackers as suspected Mamudawa/Lakurawa terrorists and said its joint security teams repelled the attacks, disputing accounts circulating on social media about the incidents.
At least 12 people have been killed in separate attacks in Kebbi State, according to the police, following reports that suspected Lakurawa terrorists killed up to 20 people, burned houses and motorcycles, and looted shops in Waiwayi village, Koko-Besse Local Government Area.
The police said five people were killed in an attack on October 26, while seven others died in attacks on October 28 in the Karwa, Kestu and Waiwayi axis. The victims included a police inspector.
The Command identified the attackers as suspected Mamudawa/Lakurawa terrorists and said its joint security teams repelled the attacks, disputing accounts circulating on social media about the incidents.
However, a video obtained by SaharaReporters shows what the narrator described as extensive destruction in Waiwayi, including burned buildings, damaged property and deserted streets.
The footage comes amid reports that residents have fled the community for safety in Koko town, fearing further violence.
In the video, a man speaking in Hausa appealed to the public to circulate the footage, describing the devastation and alleging that the attackers killed residents, set houses ablaze and looted shops and homes.
“This is Waiwayi town. The town has fallen under the control of terrorists. As you can see, these are the places that have been set on fire,” he said as he showed the damage.
“Look at what has happened here, my brothers and sisters. Can you see it? Look at this. You can see it. This is all that remains of the town.”
The narrator said the attackers killed people, drove residents away and burned their houses, leaving the community in ruins.
“They burned people, drove residents away, and set their houses on fire. They killed those they wanted to kill,” he said, urging viewers to share the footage so that more people could see the destruction.
The narrator put the death toll at up to 20 people.
He also described the looting that followed the attack, alleging that the assailants took valuables from shops and other properties and set motorcycles on fire.
“They killed people and took whatever they wanted. They looted valuables and other belongings. You can see the motorcycles here. As you can see, they burned people’s motorcycles everywhere. They broke into shops and took whatever they wanted,” he said.
The footage captures what the speaker described as the aftermath of the assault, with visible signs of extensive destruction and no residents seen in the areas shown.
Describing the situation as heartbreaking, the narrator called for the video to be widely shared.
When contacted by SaharaReporters, Kebbi State Police Command spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, said the Command was aware of the situation in villages along the Besse/Shanga riverine axis and the video circulating online.
Usman explained that the crisis began with a rumour of alleged cattle rustling by suspected Lakurawa elements and an imminent threat of attack.
According to him, the rumour triggered the mobilisation of vigilantes known as Yan Sakai, who allegedly attacked Fulani traders at Samanaji Market on October 22, 2026.
“This triggered the mass mobilisation of rogue Yan Sakai, who, on October 22, 2026, invaded Samanaji Market and attacked innocent Fulani traders who had come to conduct their lawful businesses,” he said.
He said police tactical teams deployed by the Divisional Police Officer in Besse responded to the incident to restore peace and prevent further violence.
“Our police tactical teams, deployed by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Besse, responded promptly to restore peace and prevent further carnage. However, three Fulani people lost their lives, while a police inspector sustained injuries in the line of duty,” Usman said.
The police spokesperson said the displacement of residents from some communities resulted from subsequent reprisal attacks.
“The present displacement of residents is an offshoot of reprisal attacks in some villages,” he said.
Usman added that suspected Mamudawa/Lakurawa terrorists attacked communities along the Karwa, Kestu and Waiwayi axis on October 26 and 28, but security operatives repelled the assaults.
“Meanwhile, recent attacks on October 26 and 28 in the Karwa, Kestu and Waiwayi axis by suspected Mamudawa/Lakurawa terrorists were gallantly repelled by our joint security teams, although seven people unfortunately lost their lives, including a police inspector who paid the supreme price in the line of duty,” he said.
The police account puts the death toll from the October 26 and 28 attacks at 12, including the five people killed on October 26 and seven killed on October 28. The narrator in the video, however, claimed that as many as 20 people died in the assault on Waiwayi.
The figures could not be independently reconciled from the information available.
Usman said the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar M. Hadejia, had ordered clearance, search-and-rescue and confidence-building operations across the affected areas.
“Additional Police Mobile Force (PMF), tactical and conventional teams have been deployed to work in synergy with other security agencies to dominate the area and restore lasting peace,” he said.
He added that investigations into the incidents were ongoing and urged residents to remain calm.
“Investigation is ongoing, and residents are urged to remain calm and disregard unverified narratives being circulated to cause panic,” he added.
The attacks and the reported displacement of residents have heightened concerns about the security situation in communities along the Besse/Shanga riverine axis of Kebbi State.
