44 Killed, Dozens Displaced as Terrorists Rampage Through Kebbi Communities

At least 44 people have been killed in coordinated terrorist attacks on multiple communities in Kebbi State, northwest Nigeria, police confirmed on Friday. The attacks are part of a devastating wave of violence that has left at least 90 people dead across the region this week.

The attackers swept through more than 10 villages in Kebbi and neighbouring Niger State over three days, burning churches, homes, and food barns while killing indiscriminately.

“They Killed Everybody in Sight”

A local clergyman, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told AFP: “They killed everybody in sight, they killed Christians, Muslims and traditional worshippers. They killed indiscriminately. They were not leaving anything, they were not taking anything. They were to kill and destroy.”

He described how the attackers combed through surrounding bushes where villagers would normally hide during raids, hunting down those in hiding and shooting them. “People can’t even go back to bury their dead,” he added.

Al-Qaeda-Linked Group Blamed

Police blamed the Kebbi attacks on Mahmuda, a local jihadist group affiliated with Mahmud al-Nigeri, a senior official in the Ansaru group. Ansaru broke away from Boko Haram and has since aligned itself with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI).

In neighbouring Niger State, 20 people were killed in a separate attack on Erena in Shiroro Local Government Area. A military security report described the attackers as “bandits” with “sophisticated arms” who “invaded a military camp.”

Jihadist Conflict Spreading South

Kebbi sits on Nigeria’s border with Benin and Niger, and since 2025 has been targeted by a rising number of jihadist attacks. Conflict monitor ACLED has recorded a surge in violence in the area carried out by groups affiliated with both Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

In October, Al-Qaeda-affiliated JNIM claimed an attack in nearby Kwara State — reinforcing longstanding warnings that the Sahel’s jihadist conflict is creeping southward towards coastal West African states. The United States has also conducted airstrikes in the region, targeting Islamic State Sahel Province fighters in Sokoto State with Nigerian assistance.

At least 500 people have fled the Kebbi attacks and are being sheltered in churches and schools in Yauri town, according to humanitarian sources.

Sources: Anadolu Agency, Africanews, BBC, AFP