A fresh wave of violent attacks has swept through several northern Nigerian states following recent United States airstrikes on Islamic State–affiliated militants in Sokoto State, according to investigations.
Between December 25, 2025, and January 2, 2026, at least 47 people were killed while 35 others were abducted in coordinated assaults carried out by bandits, Boko Haram insurgents, and fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Several additional victims sustained varying degrees of injuries during the attacks.
Affected communities span Adamawa, Zamfara, Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa, Yobe, Kano and Kebbi states, highlighting the widening geographical spread of the violence.
In Kogi State, armed men stormed the Omi-Ara community in Yagba West Local Government Area, abducting multiple residents. In a separate incident within the same council, gunmen raided Odo-Ere community, kidnapping no fewer than four people.
On December 30, a group of women and children travelling from Wanke to Gusau were seized by attackers but were later rescued following a security operation.
Kwara State also witnessed repeated attacks. On December 27, more than eight people were abducted during a raid on the Adanla community in Ifelodun LGA. Days later, gunmen struck again in the Ile-Ire axis, abducting the traditional ruler of Aafin community, Oba S. Y. Olaonipekun, alongside his son who was serving under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
In Kebbi State, coordinated assaults on Kaiwa, Gelawu and Gebbe villages in Shanga LGA on December 29 reportedly left at least eight people dead.
Zamfara State recorded one of the most disturbing incidents, as attackers stormed Sabon-Layi village in Gusau LGA, abducting 16 women, killing two residents and injuring several others.
Plateau State was not spared, with seven farmers reportedly killed in an attack on the Bum community in Jos South LGA.
In Nasarawa State, gunmen invaded the Kunza community in Ashigye village, Lafia LGA, on December 31, killing three people and injuring nine others.
Similarly, on December 26, bandits kidnapped five travellers along the Ogbe-Egbe Road and wounded another victim.
ISWAP fighters also claimed responsibility for firing mortar shells at a Nigerian military base in Goniri, Yobe State, although details regarding casualties or damage were not disclosed.
Boko Haram Attack Leaves 14 Dead in Adamawa
Confirming a separate incident, the Chairman of Hong LGA in Adamawa State, Usman Inuwa, disclosed that Boko Haram insurgents killed 14 people during attacks on Mubang and Zar villages near the Sambisa Forest.
According to him, the attackers struck around 9 p.m., killing residents, injuring two others and setting dozens of houses and food stores ablaze.
Inuwa attributed the recurring violence to the vast ungoverned territories surrounding the forest, which he said continue to expose rural communities to repeated assaults.
In Kano State, bandits launched attacks on Yankwada, Babanduhu and neighbouring villages in Shanono LGA, killing one person and stealing livestock. Witnesses said the attackers arrived on about 50 motorcycles and engaged security forces in a prolonged gunfight that lasted into the early hours of the next day.
Chairman of the Shanono/Bagwai Community Security Forum, Alhaji Yahya Bagobiri, alleged that the raid was a reprisal following the killing of nine bandits during clashes with the military the previous week.
However, the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 3 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Captain Babatunde Zubairu, confirmed the incident but disputed reports of fatalities and cattle rustling.
“All other details are accurate, except that no one was killed and no cows were rustled,” he said in a WhatsApp message.
A community leader, who spoke anonymously for security reasons, suggested that militants displaced by the U.S. airstrikes in Sokoto may be relocating to neighbouring states.
He noted increased movements through Katsina and Zamfara into Niger and Kaduna states, while others were reportedly fleeing from Kebbi toward Kwara and parts of the South-West.
According to the source, the heightened threat has forced local vigilante groups to tighten internal controls, including confiscating weapons and motorcycles from members who violate peace agreements.
He also revealed that the Nigerian Air Force has intensified aerial surveillance, with daily patrols conducted over Birnin-Gwari, Niger State and border areas near Kebbi. He added that no Boko Haram or ISWAP attacks have been recorded in Kaduna since the airstrikes, describing current operations as preventive measures.
Meanwhile, another bandit attack on Adanla community in Igbaja, Ifelodun LGA, on Wednesday evening led to the abduction of eight residents and left several others injured. The incident forced many villagers from Aafin and Adanla to flee to nearby towns and farmlands amid fears of further violence.
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