Grief enveloped Darusa, a border community in Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State, after suspected Lakurawa gunmen attacked the weekly market and killed two BDX or currency exchange operators, carting away large sums of money.
The deadly assault, which occurred late last week, has left families shattered and traders fearful, underscoring the growing human cost of insecurity in Nigeria’s rural and border communities.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants arrived at the bustling Darusa market on four motorcycles, with two armed men on each bike, openly wielding rifles and sowing panic among traders and customers.
According to a resident who spoke to journalists, the gunmen headed straight for the currency exchangers and shot them at close range without provocation.
The victims were identified as Alhaji Ummaru Darusa and Muhammad Sani, both well known in the market for their foreign exchange business that served traders from Nigeria and the neighbouring Niger Republic of Niger.
“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 recounted in anguish.
Darusa market lies along the Nigeria–Niger border and serves as a commercial hub where traders from both countries converge, making the loss not just personal but deeply communal.
One of the slain traders, Muhammad Sani, was said to be a Nigerien national who held official trading recognition in the Niger Republic but conducted his exchange business regularly in Darusa.
Locals believe the attackers had been monitoring Alhaji Ummaru for some time, waiting for an opportunity to strike and escape with cash in both Nigerian and foreign currencies, believed to be substantial.
Community members lamented the absence of adequate security presence in the area and appealed to authorities to intensify patrols to protect lives and livelihoods.
The Lakurawa gunmen, residents said, have for years operated with little restraint across parts of Gudu and neighbouring Tangaza Local Government Area, imposing fear and violence on rural communities.
Confirming the incident, the Sokoto State Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Rufa’i, said the attack occurred on Thursday, noting that one victim died instantly while the other succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to Dogon Daji Hospital.
As families prepare to bury their dead, the tragedy has reignited national concern over border security, the safety of informal traders, and the urgent need for decisive action to halt the bloodshed consuming vulnerable communities across Nigeria.
