The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that 15 people were killed and over 500 households displaced following coordinated attacks by the Lakurawa terrorist group on three communities in the Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday after a joint assessment visit to the affected areas by NEMA officials and their counterparts from the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

According to NEMA, the attacks occurred around 2:05 p.m. on Wednesday and targeted the villages of Kwalajiya, Talba, and Fasnaki. Most of the residents were reportedly working on their farms when the assault began.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers looted shops and set fire to residential homes, food storage facilities, and small businesses.

“The attack claimed the lives of 15 individuals, forcing residents to flee for safety,” the agency said. “Many have taken refuge at Sardaunan Tangaza Model School in Tangaza town, while others are sheltering in Ayama, a nearby settlement on the outskirts of the town.”

NEMA added that more than 500 households were affected by the violence, with large numbers of people abandoning their homes and farmland in an effort to escape further attacks.

The agency did not specify whether humanitarian assistance had been delivered but indicated that it is working closely with state authorities to evaluate the full impact of the incident and determine the immediate needs of displaced residents.