Attackers spent four hours inside Tofa village, seizing up to 40 residents and livestock, highlighting how armed networks move freely through remote forest corridors along the Sokoto–Zamfara border.
Who? Bandit-terrorists? Insurgents? Kidnappers? Law Enforcement Overwhelmed
By Onibiyo Segun
(Sokoto, Nigeria) – Armed attackers killed at least 10 residents and abducted dozens in Tofa community, exposing how rural Sokoto settlements remain vulnerable to night raids, kidnapping and livestock theft.
The attackers stormed Tofa in Rabah County late Sunday night, shooting residents, stealing cattle and taking between 38 and 40 people away, according to community sources and security reports.
The raid has renewed questions over how armed groups enter isolated communities, operate for hours and escape before security forces arrive.
Families Wait For Relatives Taken During Raid
For families in Tofa, the attack has become a search for missing relatives.
“My husband was taken from our home around 1 am. They came in large numbers on motorcycles and started shooting. We have not heard from him. We are begging government to help us. We have no money for ransom,” Hauwau Zayyanu, wife of abducted farmer Saifullahi Buhari, told TruthNigeria during a telephone interview.
Bilya Abu, whose brother was among those abducted, said “they killed 10 people including Malam Muhammadu and Musa Dan Agaji, and took my brother Bilya. The attackers also took all the cows. We are hiding in Sabon Birni now”.
Families said no ransom demand had been received as of publication.
Gunmen Spent Four Hours Inside Tofa
Alhaji Lawali Tofa, Ward Head of Tofa community said, “the attackers numbering over 50 came around 1 am on Sunday night on motorcycles. They shot sporadically for about four hours. They killed at least 10 people and took between 38 and 40 residents”.
He went on to say, “they were carrying AK-47 rifles. They rustled cattle and looted foodstuff before leaving toward the forest”.
“There was no prior warning. The nearest police post is in Rabah town, more than 30 km away. By the time security came, they were gone,” Tofa explained.
Rabah Faces Growing Attack Pressure
The Tofa raid follows other violent incidents across Rabah County involving killings, kidnapping and livestock theft.
In June 2026, armed attackers killed four farmers and abducted 12 people in Ghandi District of Rabah County.
Security forces later rescued 32 kidnapped victims in Maikujera village, Rabah County, after an operation targeting armed men accused of moving abducted residents and stolen livestock.
The attacks have heightened fears among farming communities that depend on livestock and agriculture for survival.
Forest Areas Offer Escape Routes
Tofa is located near remote forest areas stretching toward Zamfara State, where armed groups have historically used difficult terrain to hide and evade security operations.
Residents and security officials have raised concerns over movements through areas around Rabah, Isa, Sabon Birni and nearby forest locations.
Authorities, however, have not confirmed where the attackers went after leaving Tofa.
Who Carried Out The Attack?
The Nigerian authorities have not publicly identified the group responsible for the Tofa raid.
Security analysts say the attackers used methods common among several armed groups in northwest Nigeria, including motorcycle movement, night attacks, automatic weapons, kidnapping and livestock theft.
TruthNigeria previously reported the emergence of Lakurawa in parts of Sokoto and Kebbi, where security officials and residents raised concerns over a new armed movement exploiting remote communities.
That report provides context on Sokoto’s changing security environment but does not establish that Lakurawa carried out the Tofa attack.
There is currently no public evidence linking Lakurawa, Boko Haram, ISWAP or any named terrorist organisation to the raid.
Former FANSAN YAMMA Officer Warns Of Movement Routes
Colonel Hassan Garba (rtd.), Former Director of Operations, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, said, “the Sokoto-Zamfara border is not a line on a map for these groups. It is a movement route. They move from forest areas in Zamfara through Isa, Sabon Birni and into Rabah because the terrain gives them cover and the villages give them resources”.
“When you can enter Tofa at 1 am, operate for four hours, and exit with 40 people and cattle toward the bush, it means you know the gaps. There is a surveillance problem, there are limited rapid response capabilities, and the forests are difficult to monitor,” Garba said.
“Once pressured in Zamfara, they shift into Sokoto; when pressured in Sokoto, they return to Zamfara. Without joint patrols, real-time intelligence and stronger forest presence, this movement pattern will continue. Tofa is a symptom,” Garba noted.
Why Sokoto’s Armed Groups Draw U.S. Security Attention
The Tofa attack reflects why security developments in northwest Nigeria are receiving international attention, as armed networks exploit remote areas for recruitment, kidnapping revenue and links to wider Sahel extremist movements.
Security analysts say stronger intelligence cooperation is needed to prevent armed groups from expanding their freedom of movement.
The Sokoto State Police Command confirmed the attack. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ahmed Rufai, spokesman for the command, said the police were compiling information on the incident.
For Tofa residents, the priority is finding missing relatives.
Onibiyo Segun reports on terrorism and conflict for TruthNigeria.
