February 21, 2026 | SUNTV Global Channel | News
Residents of Dutsin Dan Ajiya village in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State are reeling after a brutal overnight attack by heavily armed terrorists that reportedly left more than 50 people dead and many others missing.
Local sources told SUNTV Global Channel that the attackers stormed the community late Thursday evening, arriving in large numbers on motorcycles and firing indiscriminately as terrified villagers fled for safety.
A resident who spoke anonymously said the gunmen first sealed off all entry and exit routes, effectively trapping residents inside before launching a coordinated assault.
“They blocked every road leading into the village and began shooting at anyone in sight. People ran in different directions trying to escape,” the resident said. “By morning, we counted dozens of bodies. Many others are still missing.”
Witnesses reported that the attackers also set homes ablaze and abducted several residents during the raid, which lasted until the early hours of Friday.
According to international news agency Reuters, at least 50 people were killed in the massacre. A lawmaker representing Bukkuyum South constituency, Hamisu Faru, confirmed the scale of the attack, describing it as part of a growing pattern of coordinated raids across rural communities.
“They moved from one settlement to another, burning buildings and shooting residents attempting to flee,” he said.
One survivor, Abdullahi Sani, 41, revealed that three of his relatives were among those killed. He added that residents had alerted security authorities after spotting over 150 motorcycles carrying the attackers, but no immediate assistance arrived.
Videos circulating online showed rows of victims’ bodies wrapped in white cloth ahead of a mass burial.
Rising Security Fears
The latest massacre comes amid escalating insecurity in the region. Just days earlier, an armoured personnel carrier belonging to the Nigerian Army was reportedly destroyed by an improvised explosive device along the Keta–Dangibga road while escorting civilian motorists.
Sources said the blast caused widespread panic, further underscoring the growing sophistication of armed groups operating across Zamfara’s rural corridors.
Security analysts warn that the repeated attacks signal a worsening crisis, with bandits increasingly targeting both communities and military convoys.
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the latest killings as of press time.
