Eleven Vigilante members killed by suspected gunmen in fresh attack
Eleven Vigilante members killed by suspected gunmen in fresh attack
Not fewer than 11 members of a local vigilante group have lost their lives in a deadly clash with armed bandits in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The confrontation took place on Friday when the vigilantes confronted a group of about 40 bandits who were attempting to launch an attack on Magonho village.
The attackers, reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons and riding on approximately 20 motorcycles, opened fire after their plans were disrupted by the vigilantes’ resistance.
A local source reported that two vigilantes were initially confirmed dead during the early exchange of gunfire, but the toll climbed to 11 by Saturday after more bodies were recovered by security personnel in the nearby Lakurawa forest—a known hideout for criminal groups.
“Security operatives recovered additional corpses from the forest area,” the source said.
“Several other vigilantes are still missing, and there’s growing fear the number of casualties may rise.”
Another eyewitness said the vigilantes had mobilized quickly based on intelligence about the bandits’ movements, managing to repel the attackers in the first wave and recover some of the stolen livestock.
In response, troops from the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Masallaci launched a pursuit and succeeded in reclaiming additional animals. However, the bandits returned shortly afterward, set fire to the village’s MTN telecommunications mast, and fired indiscriminately before retreating once again into the forest.
Search-and-rescue operations are ongoing to locate missing vigilantes and recover any remaining bodies.
Security forces, including soldiers and operatives from other agencies in Binji and Racca, are involved in the mission, combing through the dense Lakurawa forest.
The incident has renewed concerns over the deteriorating security situation in rural parts of Sokoto, where vigilante groups often serve as the primary defense against frequent bandit attacks.
