Attack by armed gang kills 12 in Nigeria's Sokoto state

At least 12 people were killed and several others kidnapped during a prolonged overnight raid by armed militants in the village of Lajinge, located in Nigeria's northwestern Sokoto state. According to local witnesses, the attack began around 11 p.m. on Saturday and continued until approximately 3 a.m. on Sunday. Among the victims, six members of a single family were burned alive after attackers set fire to their home. Local resident Awal Hassan reported that the gunmen also injured four people and stole a large number of livestock before abducting an unspecified number of women and children.

The region has been frequently targeted by heavily armed criminal gangs, locally referred to as "bandits," who carry out raids to extort ransom through kidnappings and loot property. This incident occurred just one week after another violent attack resulted in the deaths of at least 24 farmers in the same state. Police spokesperson Ahmed Rufai confirmed that an investigation into the massacre is currently underway, with authorities expected to provide further details regarding the perpetrators and the status of the abducted civilians in due course.