Key facts
- At least 12 people were killed in a night attack on Lajinge village, Sokoto state, Nigeria.
- Six members of one family died after their house was set on fire by the attackers.
- Women and children were abducted, along with livestock.
- In a separate but related incident, 13 women and an infant were abducted from Chacho village in Sokoto state.
- Police are investigating the attacks.
Armed men killed at least 12 people and abducted women and children during a night attack on the village of Lajinge in Nigeria's northwestern Sokoto state. Six members of one family were burned to death when the attackers set fire to their home.
The gunmen entered Lajinge around 11 p.m. on Saturday and continued their assault until approximately 3 a.m. on Sunday, according to local accounts. In addition to the fatalities and injuries, the attackers also stole livestock.
Separately, in the village of Chacho, also in Sokoto State, 13 women and an infant were abducted during an overnight raid. Among those taken were a bride and 10 of her bridesmaids. A resident noted that Chacho had previously been targeted by bandits in October, requiring ransom payments for the release of 13 individuals.
Sokoto state has experienced a notable increase in bandit-initiated abductions in November, reaching the highest number in the past year, according to a Nigerian intelligence report. This surge may be partly attributed to deals struck by neighboring states in an attempt to curb bandit activities.
The region has been plagued by frequent attacks from heavily armed gangs, known as bandits, who engage in raiding villages, kidnapping residents for ransom, and stealing livestock. This latest incident follows an attack in neighboring Zamfara state the previous week, where bandits killed at least 24 farmers.
The Nigerian police are investigating the incidents. President Bola Tinubu has declared a nationwide emergency in response to the escalating insecurity.