Armed men kidnap 13 people in border village of Kebbi state

A brazen attack on Tangaram Village in Wasagu District of Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State has left 13 residents in the hands of suspected armed bandits, following a daring midnight raid on the community.

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The assault occurred at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, with the attackers firing indiscriminately into the air before invading homes and making off with their victims in the direction of the Zamfara border.

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The Kebbi State Police Command has since confirmed the abduction, revealing that the victims remain captive while rescue efforts are underway across the area.

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According to SP Bashir Usman, spokesperson for the command, preliminary investigations indicate that all the abducted individuals are adult male residents of the village, contradicting reports that had been circulating in some quarters.

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Usman stated that the abducted persons are still being held captive, and preliminary findings confirm that they are all adult male residents of the village, contrary to reports being circulated.

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Security operatives have intensified coordinated rescue operations along border communities linking Kebbi and Zamfara states, with police tactical teams collaborating with vigilante groups and other security agencies.

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The rescue efforts aim to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and the apprehension of the perpetrators, with a focus on the border axis with Zamfara State.

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An eyewitness, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the attack as terrifying, recounting how the assailants arrived on motorcycles and began shooting into the air.

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The eyewitness explained that the attackers forced their way into houses and took away several residents, with the community of Tangaram and surrounding areas having suffered repeated attacks due to their proximity to forest corridors linking Kebbi, Zamfara, and Niger states.

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Recent attacks in Danko/Wasagu have resulted in mass abductions, with some victims allegedly being released after ransom payments totaling millions of naira.

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The latest attack has reignited concerns over the deteriorating security situation in border communities across Kebbi State, where residents are subjected to recurring raids, kidnappings, and cattle rustling by armed groups operating along the North-West forest belt.