TERRORISTS ABDUCT WORSHIPPERS IN KEBBI CHURCH RAID
in a rather disturbing report, Zagami village in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State descended into chaos on Sunday May 18th after armed assailants, suspected to be members of the Lakurawa terrorist group, invaded a Christian church during worship service and abducted numerous congregants at gunpoint.
Eyewitnesses say the attackers arrived suddenly on motorcycles, storming the village with precision and brutality. As the service was underway, the gunmen encircled the church and opened fire indiscriminately, sending worshippers fleeing in terror. Many, however, were not so lucky. According to survivor Ezekiel Danjuma, the attackers “came shooting and forced their way into the church,” while some escaped through the rear exits, “many others were taken.” Danjuma shared his account with reporters on Monday, visibly shaken from the traumatic experience.
The full number of abductees remains unclear, but community leaders and residents confirm that several worshippers—primarily women and youth—were dragged into a nearby forest by the gunmen. The assailants are believed to have taken routes commonly used by insurgents in the region, which borders parts of northwestern Nigeria heavily impacted by terrorist and bandit activity.
Zagami, a farming settlement in the troubled Kebbi South Senatorial District, is part of a zone increasingly affected by insecurity. The district covers seven local government areas—Danko/Wasagu, Fakai, Ngaski, Sakaba, Shanga, Yauri, and Zuru—many of which have reported rising cases of armed violence, kidnappings, and communal displacement over the past year.
No official statement had been issued by the Kebbi State Government or security agencies as of press time, compounding the anxiety of residents who feel abandoned. Community elders and civil society groups are now urging the government to act swiftly, both to rescue the abducted worshippers and to deploy permanent security formations across vulnerable rural areas.
The attack on the church has again spotlighted the growing influence and brutality of the Lakurawa group, which has previously been linked to mass abductions and village raids in both Kebbi and neighboring Niger and Zamfara states. Despite periodic military operations in the region, communities continue to bear the brunt of the insurgents’ operations—especially in remote areas where security presence is sparse or entirely absent.
Local vigilante groups and hunters are reportedly working with security agencies to trace the attackers’ path into the forest, but concerns remain over their safety and the need for coordinated state and federal intervention. For the families of those missing, each hour deepens the fear of what may lie ahead.
