January 11, 2026 l Reporter: Johnson
DARUSA, Sokoto State — Grief and fear have taken hold of the Darusa border community in Gudu Local Government Area after suspected Lakurawa gunmen attacked the bustling Darusa weekly market, killing two currency exchange (BDX) operators and fleeing with large sums of cash, security officials and residents report.
The assault occurred late last week when assailants on four motorcycles with two armed men riding on each stormed the market, openly brandishing rifles and causing panic among traders and shoppers. Eyewitnesses said the gunmen targeted the currency exchangers directly, shooting them at close range without apparent provocation and then swiftly disappearing into surrounding rural areas.
Victims of the attack were identified as Alhaji Ummaru Darusa and Muhammad Sani, both well-known for their foreign exchange services that cater to traders from Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic. Sani was reported to be a Nigerien national with official trading recognition in his home country but frequently conducted business in Darusa’s border market.
Responding to the incident, Sokoto State Police Public Relations Officer Ahmad Rufa’i confirmed the shooting, noting that one victim died instantly at the scene while the second later succumbed to injuries at Dogon Daji Hospital.
Darusa market is a key commercial link between Nigerian and Nigerien traders, and the killings have dealt a serious blow to local economic life, raising deep concerns among residents about the safety of informal traders and cross-border commerce. Many traders are now fearful of returning to the market, worried that such targeted violence could recur.
Community members have lamented the lack of an adequate security presence in border areas and are calling on authorities to intensify patrols and enhance border security, emphasizing that the Lakurawa gunmen who have operated with impunity across parts of Gudu and neighbouring Tangaza Local Government Areas continue to threaten rural communities.
The tragedy has revived national discussions on insecurity in Nigeria’s rural and border regions, where traders and residents remain vulnerable to armed groups that exploit limited law enforcement resources.