Grief has engulfed Darusa, a border community in Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State, following a deadly attack by suspected Lakurawa gunmen on the weekly market, which claimed the lives of two currency exchange operators and left traders in fear.
The attack, which occurred late last week, has devastated families and disrupted commercial activities in the area, highlighting the worsening insecurity facing rural and border communities in the country.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants stormed the busy Darusa market on four motorcycles, with two armed men riding on each bike. The gunmen were said to have openly carried rifles as they fired shots into the air, causing panic among traders and customers.
A resident who spoke to journalists said the attackers went straight for the currency exchangers and shot them at close range without any provocation. The victims were identified as Alhaji Ummaru Darusa and Muhammad Sani, both well-known in the market for their foreign exchange business that catered to traders from Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic.
“They killed Alhaji Ummaru and Muhammad Sani on the spot, then packed all the money they were using for their business and disappeared,” the resident said.
Darusa market, located along the Nigeria–Niger border, serves as a major commercial hub where traders from both countries converge. One of the victims, Muhammad Sani, was reportedly a Nigerien national who conducted his exchange business regularly in the market.
Residents believe the attackers had been monitoring the victims for some time before striking, carting away large sums of money in both local and foreign currencies. Community members lamented the lack of adequate security in the area and appealed to authorities to intensify patrols to safeguard lives and livelihoods.
Confirming the incident, the Sokoto State Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Rufa’i, said the attack occurred on Thursday. He disclosed that one victim died on the spot, while the other later died at Dogon Daji Hospital after sustaining severe injuries.
The incident has renewed calls for improved border security and urgent action to curb the activities of armed groups terrorising vulnerable communities across Sokoto State and beyond.
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