More than 300 suspected Lakurawa militants on motorcycles reportedly invaded Kebbe town in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Friday, engaging security forces in a gun battle before attacking shops, a hospital and vehicles.
The heavily armed attackers reportedly entered the town at about 10 a.m., prompting soldiers stationed at a military base on the outskirts of Kebbe to open fire on them.
A security expert in Sokoto, Bashar Altine, who disclosed the incident, alleged that four soldiers were killed during the exchange of fire. However, the casualty figure could not be independently confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
The spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed the incident but said the command was still gathering information. He added that he could not confirm reports of casualties, including the alleged death of four soldiers.
Rufai said the command would issue an official statement after obtaining further details.
According to Altine, after engaging the soldiers, the militants moved into the centre of Kebbe, particularly the Sabon Gari area, where they reportedly broke into shops and stole large quantities of mobile phones and bread.
He further alleged that the attackers opened fire on a military vehicle equipped with a mounted rocket-propelled grenade, damaging three tyres and shattering its windscreen.
The militants later reportedly moved to the General Hospital, Kebbe, where they smashed the windows of vehicles parked within the premises, including a vehicle belonging to the Divisional Police Officer and an ambulance.
Altine also alleged that the attackers seized mobile phones belonging to patients at the hospital and took away four motorcycles belonging to residents as they withdrew from the town.
The militants reportedly left Kebbe in the evening and headed towards communities west of the town.
Altine said reports from villages west of Kebbe indicated that the attackers later entered Ungushi, one of the districts in Kebbe Local Government Area.
Despite the reported exchange of fire with troops, there was no confirmed report that any of the militants was killed.
The incident has heightened concerns over the movement and activities of Lakurawa militants in parts of Sokoto State and neighbouring areas.
Security agencies are expected to provide further details on the incident, including confirmed casualty figures and the current whereabouts of the attackers.
