Suspected bandits attacked Achida town in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State late on Thursday, killing two people and abducting at least 25 others, residents said.
The town, located about 20 kilometres from Sokoto metropolis, has become increasingly vulnerable to banditry spreading across parts of northwestern Nigeria.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers stormed the community around 11 p.m. and operated for nearly an hour without resistance. The gunmen reportedly killed two residents and abducted several others, including women, a 10-year-old boy and members of the local vigilante group.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the assailants first targeted a vigilante outpost on the outskirts of the town. “They surrounded our vigilantes at their post and abducted them before moving into the town to take women and children from their homes,” the resident said.
He added that the attackers initially carried out the operation quietly and only began shooting after completing the abductions. “We were unaware of their presence until about midnight when gunshots rang out. That was when two of our men were killed,” he said.
Another resident said the attackers appeared to operate in coordinated groups, with some positioned outside the town to monitor possible security intervention while others carried out the raid.
The incident has heightened concerns over the spread of armed violence in Sokoto State, where communities near the state capital have increasingly come under attack.
Residents have called on authorities to establish a military outpost in Achida to prevent further attacks. “Achida is just 20 kilometres from Sokoto town. The attackers are getting closer, and the government must act to protect us,” one resident said, noting that nearby communities have also experienced similar incidents.
Attempts to reach the spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, for official confirmation were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
