The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed that 33 people were killed in an attack on Bui District in Arewa Local Government Area following a deadly armed cattle-rustling incident.
Spokesman of the Kebbi Police Command, Bashir Usman, said this in a statement.
“In response, the Command, in collaboration with the military and other security agencies, has deployed additional personnel and operational assets to the affected area. Sustained area domination patrols are currently underway to restore and maintain stability,” Usman’s statement read.
Police authorities expressed deep regret over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the bereaved families and the wider Arewa community.
They said that preliminary investigations indicate that suspected Lakurawa militants entered Bui District to rustle cattle.
The attackers are believed to have crossed into the area from Gudu Local Government Area in neighbouring Sokoto State.
Residents from Mamunu, Awasaka, Tungan Tsoho, Makangara, Kanzo, Gorun Naidal, and Dan Mai Ago reportedly mobilised in response to the intrusion, leading to a fatal confrontation with the armed group.
The Police Command emphasised that incidents involving heavily armed criminal elements require coordinated security intervention.
Authorities urged residents to report suspicious movements through established security channels rather than engage directly, warning that such confrontations pose serious risks.
Local and security sources said the gunmen stormed villages in the remote border district, opening fire on residents in what survivors described as highly organised and indiscriminate assaults.
The attacks triggered panic, forcing many residents to flee their homes as the assailants stormed homes and shot at civilians.
Security operatives have since been deployed to the area to secure the communities, assist survivors, and block possible escape routes for the attackers. Tracking operations are also ongoing.
