Kabir Adeniyi
10 April 2026•Update: 10 April 2026
At least 44 people have been killed in coordinated attacks on multiple communities in northwestern Nigeria’s Kebbi State, police said on Friday.
The attacks targeted villages in Shanga Local Government Area, including Gebe, Kalkami, Kawara, Kasoshi, Awaye, Tungar Rini, Binuwa and Dabe, according to a statement by the Kebbi State Police Command.
The attacks occurred a day after a Nigerian Army brigadier, I. A. Braimah, was killed alongside several soldiers during an ambush by Boko Haram in Borno State, in the country’s northeast.
Police spokesperson Bashir Usman said Kebbi’s assaults have prompted authorities to launch a statewide clearance operation aimed at curbing banditry and other violent crimes.
“Massive deployments of police personnel and other security agencies have been carried out in the affected communities, leading to the return of relative calm,” Usman said.
According to the police, the ongoing clearance operation is focusing on high-risk areas, including farmlands, forests, border communities and remote settlements often exploited by armed groups. The strategy also involves coordinated patrols, intelligence-led stop-and-search operations and joint actions with other security agencies.
The commissioner of police in Kebbi State, Umar Hadejia, has called on residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by providing timely and credible information.
He also urged traditional rulers, community leaders, religious organizations and youth groups to support ongoing efforts to restore peace and strengthen security in the state.
Terrorism, banditry and armed attacks have remained a major security challenge in parts of northwestern Nigeria, with rural communities frequently targeted by heavily armed groups.
