Gunmen on Monday launched a deadly attack on the Gebbe community in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State, leaving several residents feared killed and many others injured, as survivors fled in panic to neighbouring villages and nearby bushes.
Local sources said the attackers stormed the community without warning, firing sporadically and causing widespread fear and confusion.
The assault, described as the worst in the area in many years, forced residents to abandon their homes in search of safety.
“The community is traumatised. We have not experienced this level of violence in a long time,” a resident said.
As of the time of filing this report, the exact number of casualties remained unclear, as many residents scattered in different directions during the attack, making it difficult to immediately assess the scale of the damage.
Confirming the incident to The PUNCH, the Kebbi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, said the attack occurred and that security operatives had been deployed to the area.
He explained that police officers were assessing the situation to determine the number of lives lost and the extent of injuries sustained, adding that a detailed official statement would be released in due course.
“We have been informed of the attack, and the command has deployed a tactical team to the area to get the real information of what happened and the number of victims,” the PPRO added.
Some residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that security agencies had begun moving into the affected community to restore calm.
Meanwhile, worried residents appealed to the state government and security agencies to urgently intervene, describing the attack as deadly and devastating.
Efforts to reach the village head for comments were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone were not answered.
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