Kebbi Police launch statewide offensive after 44 killed in Shanga attacks

The Kebbi State Police Command has begun a sweeping security offensive following coordinated bandit attacks on communities in Shanga Local Government Area that left at least 44 people dead.

The affected villages, Gebe, Kalkami, Kawara, Kasoshi, Awaye, Tungar Rini, Binuwa and Dabe, came under simultaneous assault in what authorities described as a well-planned operation by armed groups.

The attacks triggered an immediate escalation of security deployments across the state.


Police said the clearance operation was launched in line with directives from the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and is focused on forests, border communities, farmlands and other high-risk areas believed to serve as hideouts and transit routes for bandits.

The spokesperson of the command, SP Bashir Usman, confirmed on Friday that the intervention was already yielding results and helping to restore calm.

“Massive deployments of police and other security agencies have led to the return of relative calm in the affected areas, while discreet investigations are ongoing,” he said.

He added that joint security teams were conducting coordinated patrols alongside intelligence-led stop-and-search operations across vulnerable corridors.

In an early breakthrough, operatives recovered two AK-47 rifles along the Illo–Kamba axis, signaling initial progress in the crackdown.

The Commissioner of Police, Umar Hadejia, called on residents to support ongoing efforts by sharing timely and credible information with authorities.

“We urge members of the public to remain vigilant, report suspicious movements, and cooperate fully with security agencies,” he said, appealing to traditional rulers, religious leaders and youth groups to assist with intelligence gathering.

Authorities emphasized that community cooperation will be crucial to sustaining the operation and preventing further attacks.

Security agencies say the ongoing offensive will rely heavily on intelligence-led strategies and community collaboration to dismantle bandit networks and cut off their supply routes.