Kwalajiya village terrorist attack kills more than 20 in Sokoto as gunmen burn homes. Police confirm incident; investigation underway
Kwalajiya village terrorist attack has left residents of Tangaza Local Government Area in Sokoto State devastated following a brutal overnight assault that claimed over 20 lives.
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The early Tuesday morning onslaught is one of the deadliest in the region this year, sparking widespread grief and fear.
According to eyewitnesses who requested anonymity due to safety concerns, the assailants were heavily armed and arrived in large numbers under the cover of darkness.
They stormed the quiet village, opening fire indiscriminately and setting residential homes ablaze, trapping many inside.
“It was like a war zone,” one survivor whispered. “People were running, screaming, hiding. I saw them shoot children and burn entire homes with families still inside.”
As of this report, over 20 people are feared dead, while others remain missing. The bodies recovered so far include women, children, and elderly residents. The full extent of the casualties is still being assessed.
The village head reportedly escaped the violence and is said to be in hiding in Sokoto city. Although his condition is unconfirmed, sources close to his family claim he narrowly avoided death and remains deeply traumatised.
Kwalajiya village terrorist attack has also displaced dozens of families, many of whom have fled into nearby towns for refuge.
Community members are now calling for urgent intervention from security agencies, fearing that the attackers could return.
Sokoto State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Ahmed Rufae, confirmed the incident in a brief statement on Tuesday afternoon.
“We are aware of the attack in Kwalajiya village. Our officers are at the scene and investigation is ongoing,” he said, declining to give further details.
Preliminary speculation by local sources suggests the attack may be linked to a conflict involving the Lakurawa terrorist group.
Unverified claims indicate the violence could have been triggered by the village head’s alleged refusal to permit marriages between villagers and suspected Lakurawa affiliates.
One resident told reporters, “There was tension for weeks. People talked about warnings from outsiders demanding we accept them into our families. The village head resisted, and now this has happened.”
While these claims remain unproven, they reflect a pattern of coercion and retaliation seen in other rural areas affected by terrorist expansion in northwestern Nigeria.
Security analysts note that the region has become increasingly vulnerable to extremist activities, with armed groups exploiting weak law enforcement and porous borders.
“The sad reality is that these attacks are no longer random,” said a regional conflict monitor. “They are often strategic, aimed at instilling fear, gaining influence, or punishing resistance.”
Kwalajiya village terrorist attack is the latest in a string of violent incidents in Sokoto. Earlier this month, eleven people were killed in another attack shortly after the Eid celebrations.
In a separate incident, ten civilians died during an airstrike aimed at terrorist targets in Lakurawa.
Residents are now demanding immediate security reinforcement and humanitarian assistance. Local health workers have set up a temporary clinic to treat the wounded, though resources are limited.
“It is heartbreaking,” a nurse said. “We are doing our best, but the number of people injured is overwhelming.”
As investigations continue, both state and federal authorities are facing renewed pressure to address the growing insecurity across Sokoto’s rural areas. For the people of Kwalajiya, the pain of Tuesday’s massacre will linger long after the ashes cool.
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“We just want peace,” said an elderly villager. “We want to sleep at night without fear. We want our children to grow up without hearing gunshots.”
