Two officers of the Nigeria Customs Service are feared dead after gunmen suspected to be members of the notorious Lakurawa group attacked security checkpoints in Tuga community, Bagudu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

Local sources said the assailants struck in the dead of night, targeting two Customs posts positioned close to each other along a key route used to monitor cross-border movements. The attackers were said to have arrived in a truck disguised as a livestock vehicle, a ruse that reportedly allowed them to get close to the officers without raising suspicion.

According to a resident who spoke on condition of anonymity over fears for personal safety, the gunmen opened fire on the officers before setting one of the locations ablaze.

The source said one junior officer, identified only by his one-star rank, was shot dead at the checkpoint. A more senior three-star officer was allegedly trapped and burnt alive after the attackers set fire to the spot where he was sleeping.

The attack was said to have occurred at about 3am, catching the officers off guard. Two other Customs personnel reportedly sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to a nearby medical facility, where they are receiving treatment.

The Lakurawa group, blamed by locals for previous incidents of banditry and cross-border criminality in the area, is believed to operate across difficult terrain near the Nigeria–Niger border, exploiting porous routes for smuggling and armed attacks.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Kebbi State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mustapha Mubarak, declined to confirm the casualties, saying the command was still gathering information.

He said the service would issue a formal statement after receiving a comprehensive report from officers on the ground.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to his known contacts went unanswered.

The attack has heightened anxiety in Tuga and surrounding communities, where residents say they fear further raids if security is not reinforced. Community members are calling for increased patrols and better coordination among security agencies to protect both officers and civilians along the vulnerable corridor.