Tragedy struck the Gendene community in the Bagudu Local Government Area of Kebbi State in the early hours of Wednesday, as gunmen suspected to be members of the Lakurawa group launched a deadly assault on a Nigeria Customs Service checkpoint. The attack, which reportedly occurred around 3:00 am, resulted in the deaths of at least two officers. The boldness of the raid has once again raised serious concerns about the security situation in the region and the safety of personnel stationed at border posts.
Details emerging from the scene describe a particularly gruesome encounter. According to local residents who spoke with Zoyols News, one of the victims, identified as a three-star officer, met a horrific end. Witnesses claimed the attackers set fire to the area where the officer was resting, causing him to be burned alive before he could escape the inferno. The level of violence displayed suggests a calculated attempt to intimidate security forces operating within the state.
The devastation was not limited to the officers alone. During the rampage, the terrorists set the officers’ operational vehicle ablaze, reducing it to a charred wreck. In the chaos that followed, two villagers—a man and a woman—were also caught in the crossfire and sustained gunshot wounds. Both civilians are currently receiving medical attention at a healthcare facility in the area, though their identities have been withheld for security reasons.
When reached for an official response, the Public Relations Officer of the Kebbi State Customs Command, Mustapha Mubarak, maintained a cautious stance. While he did not explicitly confirm or deny the details of the killings at the time of the inquiry, he noted that the command was still gathering a full report on the incident. He assured the public that a formal statement would be issued once the facts of the early morning raid were fully established.
This latest incident highlights the growing threat posed by the Lakurawa group, which has been increasingly active in the northwestern fringes of the country. As the community of Gendene grapples with the aftermath of the violence, there are mounting calls for increased surveillance and a more robust security presence to protect both uniformed personnel and the local population from such midnight incursions.
