By SUNTV Global Channel | January 15, 2026
At least seven residents have been killed following a deadly midnight attack by suspected terrorists on Ƙyara town in Birnin Gobir Local Government Area of Sokoto State, deepening fears over the worsening security situation in eastern parts of the state.
SUNTV Global Channel gathered that the attack occurred late Wednesday night, when over 100 armed men stormed the town in what residents described as a well-coordinated operation.
Local sources said the assailants surrounded Ƙyara from all directions, cutting off major entry and exit routes before unleashing hours of violence on defenceless residents. The gunmen reportedly moved freely within the town for several hours without resistance.
“At least seven people were killed during the attack, and many others were injured,” a community source told SUNTV.
The victims were buried on Thursday morning in line with Islamic rites, as grieving families and residents mourned amid palpable fear and tension. Several injured persons are currently receiving treatment in hospitals, with some said to be in critical condition.
Residents revealed that the attack came barely a day after the same group of armed men allegedly abducted about 38 adults—excluding children—from Lajinge district, also within the Birnin Gobir axis. The abducted victims were reportedly taken to unknown locations.
Community members expressed anger and frustration over what they described as the absence of Nigerian security forces during and after the attack, despite repeated distress calls.
According to residents, it was security operatives from neighbouring Niger Republic, not Nigerian forces, who later arrived and reportedly pursued the attackers from across the border after they had withdrawn—highlighting the growing cross-border nature of insecurity in the region.
Birnin Gobir and surrounding communities in eastern Sokoto have suffered repeated attacks, killings, abductions and destruction of property in recent months, leaving residents increasingly vulnerable and fearful.
As of the time of filing this report, Sokoto State authorities and security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the attack.
— SUNTV Global Channel
