A counteroffensive by vigilante members in Morai village ended in tragedy on Sunday when heavily armed men opened fire, killing at least 13 locals who attempted to prevent cattle rustling in their community.
The attackers, suspected to be Lakurawa terrorists, invaded the village in the Augie Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
Vigilantes who had been tipped off about the raid tried to stop the theft but were met with deadly force.
Alhaji Augie, a local source familiar with the incident, said the vigilantes were caught off guard.
“They had hidden themselves, hoping to reclaim the stolen cattle, but they didn’t know the terrorists had already encircled them,” he told journalists.
“Once they made their move, the assailants opened fire.”
Governor Nasir Idris, accompanied by security personnel, visited Morai the following day to strengthen protection in the area and show solidarity with the affected families.
As of now, six of the fallen vigilantes have been buried, with search efforts ongoing to locate the rest.