Terrorists Kill Six Worshippers in Attack on Kebbi Mosque.
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu, Democracy Newsline
February 26, 2026.
Suspected Lakurawa terrorists have attacked a mosque in Dadinkowa community, Maiyama Local Government Area of Kebbi State, killing six worshippers and injuring three others in what security authorities described as a reprisal assault following a failed ambush on a military convoy.
The gunmen stormed the mosque on Wednesday evening while worshippers were observing prayers, opening fire indiscriminately and sending shockwaves through the quiet agrarian settlement. Survivors recounted scenes of chaos and terror as bullets pierced the stillness of the sacred gathering.
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Residents said the attackers arrived on motorcycles shortly before sunset, surrounding the mosque and firing into the congregation without warning. The assault lasted several minutes, leaving bodies sprawled across prayer mats and survivors scrambling for safety.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in Kebbi State, Bashir Usman, said the attack was carried out in retaliation for an earlier confrontation between the terrorists and troops of the Nigerian Army.
“The attack was a reprisal by suspected Lakurawa terrorist elements following a failed ambush on troops attached to the 8 Division,” he stated.
According to him, the chain of events began on February 24, when the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 8 Division, and Commander, Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Major General Bemgha Koughna, came under attack while travelling to visit frontline troops deployed in the state.
“The GOC’s convoy, while navigating forested terrain near Mayama Hill, came under heavy gunfire from armed terrorists believed to be members of the Lakurawa group,” Usman explained. “Troops responded with superior firepower, engaged the attackers in a fierce gun duel and neutralised five of them, thereby foiling the ambush.”
Security analysts believe the mosque attack was intended to send a message and instill fear among communities perceived to be cooperating with security forces. The Lakurawa group has been linked to cross-border banditry and extremist violence in parts of northwestern Nigeria, exploiting porous frontiers and forest enclaves to stage attacks.
Usman disclosed that five worshippers initially died from gunshot wounds sustained during the mosque attack, while three others suffered varying degrees of injuries and were evacuated to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
However, during funeral prayers held on Thursday morning, six victims were brought out for burial, indicating that one of the injured had succumbed to his wounds.
The funeral drew hundreds of mourners from Dadinkowa and neighbouring communities. Clerics urged residents to remain steadfast in faith and avoid reprisals, calling on authorities to intensify security patrols across vulnerable rural settlements.
Kebbi State, though relatively calmer compared to some neighbouring states in the North-West, has in recent years experienced intermittent security breaches linked to armed groups operating in forest corridors. Maiyama Local Government Area, situated along strategic transit routes, has occasionally witnessed incursions by criminal and extremist elements.
In response to the latest tragedy, security agencies have reportedly reinforced deployments in the area, with joint patrols mounted around worship centres and key community assets. Residents have been advised to report suspicious movements and cooperate with law enforcement agencies.
As the community buries its dead, the attack underscores the persistent threat facing rural populations caught between insurgent reprisals and ongoing military operations. For the grieving families in Dadinkowa, the sanctity of a house of worship was shattered in moments — a painful reminder that even places of prayer are no longer beyond the reach of violence.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, FEBRUARY 26TH 2026)
