Police Officer, Civilians Killed In Sokoto Attack

A police officer and multiple civilians were killed in the Girkau Sokoto Lakurawa attack, the latest assault by suspected militants on a rural community in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Security analyst Bakatsine first disclosed the attack in a post on X on Tuesday, reporting that suspected Lakurawa militants stormed Girkau community and killed several people, leaving others injured.

The slain police officer was identified as Hussaini Manyu.

"The attackers were also said to have killed an elderly man, Bala Wakili, and a young herder who reportedly refused to hand over his cattle," Bakatsine said.

According to the report, another farmer was shot while working on his property, and the attackers set fire to a Community Guard vehicle and a police Hilux before withdrawing.

The report also stated that a married woman was assaulted after resisting attackers during the raid, and that an unspecified number of cattle were stolen.

"How many more warnings must become death notices before vulnerable communities receive the protection they deserve?" Bakatsine wrote.

The Sokoto State Police Command has since confirmed the attack, though its account puts the toll at one police officer and two civilians killed, slightly lower than the initial report of three civilian deaths. Police spokesman Ahmed Rufai said the command received a distress call and deployed operatives who engaged the attackers in a gun battle before repelling them.

"It is unfortunate that we lost one of our men during the attack," Rufai said.

Residents say this attack did not come without warning. According to a community leader, security agencies had already been alerted to suspicious movements around the area before the raid took place.

"What happened in Girkau is heartbreaking. We lost a police officer who was defending the community, an elderly man and a young herder. They also burnt security vehicles and took away many cattle. Our people are living in fear because these attacks are becoming too frequent," the community leader said.

Another resident echoed the same frustration, saying earlier calls for a stronger security presence went unheeded.