Tragedy struck a bustling border market in Sokoto State on Thursday when suspected Lakurawa terrorists stormed the Durusar Gawo currency exchange hub in Kurdula District, Gudu Local Government Area, killing two prominent Bureau de Change (BDC) operators and making off with substantial amounts of cash in both naira and foreign currencies.
The victims have been identified as Alhaji Ummaru (also referred to as Ummaru Darusa) and Alhaji Muhammed Sani (or Alhaji Sani), well-known figures in the cross-border trade community. One of the deceased, Alhaji Muhammed Sani, was a Nigerien national who regularly conducted business in the market, highlighting the deep economic ties between traders from Nigeria and Niger Republic.Eyewitnesses described a terrifying scene as about 11 to 12 armed men rode into the crowded marketplace around 2:00 p.m. to 2:50 p.m., brandishing rifles and heading straight for the BDC section.
They opened fire at close range, sending traders and customers fleeing in panic. One victim reportedly died instantly at the scene, while the other succumbed to injuries at Dogon Dutse Hospital. Some accounts suggest the attackers had been monitoring Alhaji Ummaru for some time, choosing a busy market day to carry out the ambush.In a chilling aftermath, two of the gunmen reportedly returned on a motorcycle, instructing frightened traders to resume business and assuring them their "mission" was complete before disappearing.
The Sokoto State Police Command, through Public Relations Officer DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, confirmed the killings and said investigations are ongoing. One person was also injured during the assault.Residents of the area, long plagued by Lakurawa activities in Gudu and neighboring Tangaza LGAs, expressed deep frustration over the lack of adequate security.
They pointed out that the nearest permanent security post is roughly 45 kilometers away, with poor road networks delaying response times. Communities in Bachaka district often depend on support from Arewa Dandi LGA in Kebbi State due to proximity.
Locals have urgently appealed to the Sokoto State Government, federal security agencies, and authorities to boost presence along the Nigeria-Niger border belt, where porous frontiers continue to enable such brazen attacks.
Many fear that without swift reinforcement, more lives and livelihoods in these vulnerable trading communities will remain at risk.The incident underscores the persistent security challenges in Sokoto's border regions, where armed groups exploit weak deployments to terrorize residents and disrupt cross-border commerce.
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