By Umar Faruk
Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria, April 9, 2026(Series News Online)- The Kebbi Development Forum, KDF, has strongly condemned a series of attacks by suspected Lakurawa/Mamudawa bandits on communities in Shanga and Bagudo Local Government Areas, describing the raids as “barbaric” and calling for urgent, intelligence-driven security intervention.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Birnin Kebbi, the Forum said rural communities in Shanga LGA, including Kalkami, Kawara, Dabe, and Binuwa, were subjected to “unprecedented violence” that left multiple residents dead and widespread destruction in its wake.
“These attacks appear to constitute a deliberate scorched-earth campaign aimed at crippling affected communities and systematically destroying their economic base and social fabric,” the statement signed by KDF Chairman Dr. Saidu Abubakar and Secretary Dr. Abdullahi Sani Mungadi read:
According to the KDF, the assailants burned food reserves, local shops, homes, health facilities, and places of worship. Hundreds of residents have been displaced by the violence.
The Forum also noted with “deep sorrow” that five residents fleeing the attacks in Shanga died in a boat mishap while attempting to escape.
In a separate incident, the group attacked Tsamiya Town in Illo District of Bagudo LGA in the early hours of Thursday. Four people were killed, including the area’s Chief Vehicle Inspection Officer.
KDF expressed concern over what it called “recurring attacks and apparent gaps in response.” It said earlier raids on Kalkami and Kawara were reported to security agencies, but delays in mobilization may have emboldened the attackers.
“Delays in mobilization may have emboldened the perpetrators, allowing them to extend their assault to Dabe and Binuwa, escalating a wave of terror that could have been mitigated by a swifter response,” the Forum stated.
While acknowledging the efforts of the Kebbi State Government and the sacrifices of security forces, the KDF said the “strategic creep” of the attackers requires an immediate change in operational tactics.
“The security situation is steadily slipping out of control and calls for a decisive transition to a more strategic, proactive, and intelligence-driven approach to curb the wave of bandit attacks across Kebbi State,” the statement said.
The Forum questioned the reliance on existing methods, saying, “We cannot continue with the same methods while expecting different outcomes.” It renewed its call for the empowerment of local government institutions to complement state and federal efforts through “unified, coordinated, and purposeful collaboration among all stakeholders.”
KDF extended condolences to Governor Nasir Idris and to families who lost loved ones. It urged the state government to “establish a robust mechanism for compensating individuals and communities whose lives and properties have been affected by these senseless attacks.”
“We remain committed to supporting the efforts of government and security agencies. Our intention in raising these concerns is to strengthen coordination, enhance accountability, and ultimately ensure a safer and more secure Kebbi State for all,” Dr. Abubakar and Dr. Mungadi added.
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