Dozens of people were killed and women and children were taken by gunmen during a brutal overnight assault on a village in northwestern Nigeria’s Zamfara state on Thursday, February 19, 2026. The massacre adds to a rising wave of violence that has left more than a hundred people dead across the country’s volatile northern region in recent weeks.
State police spokesperson Yazid Abubakar stated on Monday, February 23, that 38 individuals were killed in the assault on Tungan Duste, located in the Anka local government area. Although authorities had prior intelligence about the planned attack, officers were unable to reach the remote village in time because of poor road conditions.
“By the time we have our way, the assailants have invaded the community and killed 38 while also abducting many residents,” Abubakar told The Associated Press.
Officials are currently working to identify the women and children taken during the raid, which began at around 5 p.m. Thursday and continued until roughly 3:30 a.m. Friday. The attackers arrived on motorcycles, set shops and homes ablaze, shot fleeing villagers, and carried out mass abductions before escaping into the night.
Signs of danger had been noticed before the assault. Abdullahi Sani, 41, said villagers alerted security forces and local leaders after spotting more than 150 motorcycles carrying armed men heading toward the area a day earlier. Their warnings went unheeded, he said. Three of his family members were killed in the attack.
The Zamfara incident is part of a wider security meltdown across Nigeria. In neighboring Kebbi state, 33 people were killed in coordinated attacks last week. Hamisu A Faru, a lawmaker representing Bukkuyum South, said armed groups have been sweeping from one village to another, leaving destruction behind. At least 46 people died in a series of raids in the Borgu area of Niger State last week, including 38 in the village of Konkoso, where residents were either shot or had their throats slit. Earlier this month, jihadists killed more than 160 people in an attack on the village of Woro in Kwara State.
The violence has sparked strong international criticism. The African Union condemned Sunday’s attack and demanded the immediate release of all abducted women and children.
The worsening situation has drawn greater global involvement. The United States recently deployed 100 soldiers to Nigeria to assist with military training and security operations. The troops arrived at Bauchi Airfield and will offer technical help and intelligence support under Nigerian command, according to Defence Headquarters spokesperson Samaila Uba.
The deployment comes amid President Donald Trump’s accusations that Nigeria has failed to stop the killing of Christians, coupled with his warnings of possible military action. On December 25, the United States launched airstrikes against Islamic State-linked targets in northern Sokoto state, working in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Northern and northwestern Nigeria have become conflict zones where multiple armed groups operate with increasing confidence. Criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, carry out raids and kidnappings for ransom. Islamist factions such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province continue their campaigns of terror. The IS-affiliated Lakurawa group has also widened its reach in Sokoto and Kebbi states. Tensions between farmers and herders further inflame violence, while separatist movements add to the unrest.
The pattern of raids exposes a troubling reality: large groups of gunmen often travel by motorcycle, overwhelming communities that lack adequate security presence. The isolation of many villages, combined with poor road networks, frequently prevents security forces from responding quickly—even when they receive prior warnings.
President Bola Tinubu has sent additional military personnel to the affected regions, but attacks continue with little sign of slowing. Critics say Nigeria’s security system remains under-resourced and overstretched, leaving civilians vulnerable across the country’s vast landscape. Religious and community leaders in the Borgu region have urged Tinubu to establish a permanent military base to break the cycle of violence.
For residents of Zamfara and neighboring states, the threat has become a daily burden. Families abandon their ancestral homes, farmers leave their fields untended, and children miss out on school as entire communities flee in fear. The psychological impact adds to the physical destruction, leaving survivors traumatized and uncertain about what lies ahead.
As authorities work to uncover the full extent of Thursday’s attack on Tungan Duste, including the total number of abducted residents, families endure a painful wait for information about their missing loved ones. The massacre highlights the urgent need for Nigeria to confront its deepening security crisis before more communities fall prey to armed groups operating with apparent freedom.
