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 confrontation with armed cattle rustlers.
Kebbi Police spokesman Bashir Usman disclosed this in a statement on Friday, February 20, saying preliminary investigations point to suspected Lakurawa militants who entered the district to rustle cattle.
The attackers are believed to have crossed into Bui from Gudu Local Government Area in neighbouring Sokoto State.
According to the police, residents from Mamunu, Awasaka, Tungan Tsoho, Makangara, Kanzo, Gorun Naidal, and Dan Mai Ago mobilised in response to the intrusion, leading to a fatal confrontation with the armed group.
“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.
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Police authorities expressed regret over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the families affected and the wider Arewa community.
The command emphasised that incidents involving heavily armed criminal elements require coordinated security intervention and 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.
Security operatives have since been deployed to secure the communities, assist survivors, and block possible escape routes for the attackers. Tracking operations are ongoing.