Fear and despair have taken over several communities in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State, where residents say they can no longer go to their farms due to unrelenting attacks by armed bandits. The people, who are mostly farmers, told reporters that their lives are now in grave danger as bandits continue to raid villages, kill residents, and abduct others for ransom.
Community leader, Alhaji Adamu Haruna, speaking on behalf of the affected areas, said the attacks have forced thousands of people to abandon their homes and farms, leaving their crops to rot during the harvest season. He noted that the situation has become unbearable, warning that if authorities continue to ignore their cries, locals may be left with no choice but to defend themselves.
According to reports, more than thirty people have been abducted in recent weeks in the Fakku area alone, while several others have been killed. Entire communities such as Fakku, Ingushi, Gwalli, Dalijan, Dukura, and Kuchi have been overrun, with residents fleeing to safer towns. In Dukura, a man who resisted abduction was reportedly shot dead, and in Dalijan, dozens of cattle were rustled after bandits attacked a local watering point.
Farmers say they now live in fear, unable to access their fields as the harvest season approaches. Shops have been looted, livestock stolen, and many women and children displaced. Over 500 animals are said to have been rustled, and at least ten villagers have lost their lives in the recent wave of violence. “If the government cannot feed us or give us money, the least we ask for is protection,” one resident told Sahara Reporters.
The residents accused the state and federal governments of neglect, saying security agencies rarely respond on time when attacks occur. They also warned that the once peaceful Kebbe area is now becoming a ghost region as more towns fall under the control of armed gangs believed to be operating under the group known locally as Lakurawa.
The community leaders have appealed to the Sokoto State government and federal security agencies to deploy troops and ensure the protection of farmers as food insecurity worsens in the region. They lamented that without urgent action, the entire local economy could collapse as residents continue to abandon their farmlands and flee from persistent attacks.