The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has confirmed a deadly terrorist attack on its facility in Gumki, a border town in Kebbi State.
The attack, attributed to the Lakurawa terrorist group, claimed four lives and caused significant damage to security infrastructure.
In a statement on Sunday, NIS spokesperson KT Udo said the attackers killed three contractors working on a telecom mast and a local watchman. However, no immigration officers were harmed in the incident.
“The attack led to the death of four persons, including a local watchman and three contractors,” Udo said. “We also recorded substantial damages to our security facilities. No immigration officers were killed during the attack.”
The damaged facilities reportedly included telecom masts being installed as part of the NIS’s efforts to enhance border security.
Udo conveyed the NIS’s condolences to the families of the victims and reiterated the agency’s commitment to securing Nigeria’s borders.
“We are actively working alongside our sister agencies to identify and apprehend those responsible for these heinous acts and bring them to justice,” Udo added. “The service remains resolute and undeterred in carrying out its core mandate of border security.”
Suspected Lakurawa Involvement
Security sources and the police have attributed the attack to the Lakurawa terrorist group. The group reportedly blew up a network mast in Gumki, a village in Arewa Local Government Area, which shares a border with Niger Republic and hosts an international market.
“The Lakurawa terrorists blew off a network mast in Gumki,” a security source told Premium Times. The attackers also rustled over 200 cattle in a recent raid on Natsini village in Argungu Local Government Area, further destabilizing the region.
Initially formed as a self-defense group, Lakurawa has evolved into a radical armed organization imposing strict Islamic rules on rural communities.
Their violent activities have drawn comparisons to Boko Haram, raising fears of a resurgence of Islamic extremism in northwestern Nigeria.
The group’s actions have displaced residents, undermined local security, and added to concerns over the escalating violence in the region.
