A suspected improvised explosive device (IED) believed to have been planted by the newly emerged Lakurawa terrorist group has claimed the lives of six men and left three women injured in Gwabro village, Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The tragic incident occurred on Sunday afternoon during the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, a period traditionally marked by youth visiting neighbouring villages to pay homage to relatives and elders.
According to local accounts, the victims were on their way from Gwabro to the nearby Zurmuku community when they inadvertently triggered the explosive device.
“They were simply unfortunate,” a resident said. “They must have stepped on or touched the device unknowingly, and it went off with devastating consequences.”
The Sokoto State Police Command spokesperson, ASP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed the explosion and the resulting casualties—six men dead and three women seriously injured.
The injured have been taken to Tangaza General Hospital for treatment and are currently receiving medical attention.
Although efforts to reach the Chairman of Tangaza Local Government were unsuccessful as of press time, his Special Adviser on Security Matters, Alhaji Garzali Raka, confirmed the burial of the deceased victims in accordance with Islamic rites.
The incident has heightened concerns over the activities of the Lakurawa group, which has been linked to a growing wave of terror across Sokoto and Kebbi states.