The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora warned that an Easter Sunday assault on Debe village in Shanga Local Government Area, Kebbi State, left 24 people dead. According to the Diocese, the attack began around 5 pm on 5 April and lasted several hours, killing men and youths of Christian, Muslim and traditional faiths. St. Mary's Catholic Church, a mosque, homes and shops were set on fire, and the statement said, "The terrorists invaded the village and killed 24 people. Properties were destroyed, including a church and a mosque. This is a devastating blow to the entire community."
The incident follows a coordinated night raid days earlier on Gebe, Kawara and Kalkami villages in the same LGA, where homes were razed and residents fled. Security sources linked the perpetrators to hideouts in the Wawa Forest of Borgu LGA, Niger State. Kebbi State Police Command confirmed that tactical units, the military, marine police and local vigilantes were deployed. Violence also spread to Binuwa and Kalkame, damaging markets and the emir's residence.
The Diocese reported that 491 internally displaced persons are now sheltered at St. Dominic Parish in Yauri, pleading for food, clean water, medical care and shelter. "We want Nigeria and the international community to know what transpired in Debe," it said, adding, "The confirmed number of fatalities is 24, contrary to earlier police reports of four."
It appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Mohammed Idris for urgent intervention, warning that "People are being killed on a daily basis in Nigeria. Communities in Kebbi State are now living in fear."
The Diocese's claim that victims spanned Christians, Muslims and traditional worshippers makes clear the attack is driven by criminal intent rather than sectarian hatred.
Bandit activity has escalated along the Kebbi‑Niger border, with recent night raids on multiple villages and the latest assault emerging from the Wawa Forest hideouts. The deployment of army units, marine police and vigilantes underscores the security vacuum, while the displacement of nearly five hundred people to a single parish highlights the strain on humanitarian resources.
For ordinary residents, the immediate fallout includes loss of livelihoods, lack of basic necessities and the inability to bury the dead or rebuild homes, deepening fear across the region. Families displaced to Yauri now depend on overstretched aid for food, water and medical care.
The episode fits a broader pattern of bandit raids in north‑western Nigeria, where civilian casualties and mass displacements are becoming increasingly common, eroding confidence in state protection and threatening long‑term stability.
