Gunmen, suspected to be members of the Lakurawa bandit group, attacked a church in Zagani village, located in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, on Sunday, May 18, and abducted an undisclosed number of female worshippers during the service.
Hussaini Aliyu Bena, the Chairman of Danko-Wasagu LGA, confirmed the incident to Channels TV, stating that the gunmen stormed the village, which lies just a few kilometers from the Zamfara border, and kidnapped the women.
“We have not yet been able to identify the victims due to poor network coverage in the area. As of now, no contact has been made regarding their whereabouts,” Bena said.
Bena expressed concern over what he described as a troubling pattern of attacks, claiming that bandits—believed to have reached an agreement with the Zamfara State Government—are increasingly targeting Kebbi as a soft target for abductions.
He further noted that while the Kebbi State Government had previously attempted to deploy military personnel to the area last year, those efforts were hindered by the rainy season. However, new plans have been put in place for a large-scale deployment to secure the vulnerable border communities.
Bena also highlighted that areas previously under siege, such as Dan Kade and Yar Tasha, have been secured due to the increased military presence, allowing displaced farmers to return to their lands and leading to the closure of IDP camps.
Although the name of the affected church and the identities of the kidnapped victims remain unavailable, Bena assured that such details would be shared as rescue operations progress.
Meanwhile, the Kebbi State Government confirmed that approximately 10 worshippers were abducted during the attack. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ahmed Idris, also reported that some worshippers sustained injuries during the invasion.
