Suspected members of the notorious Lakurawa armed group have killed two police officers and razed a security checkpoint at Bakinruwa/Maje in Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State, deepening fears over rising violence along the state’s border corridor.

Residents said the attackers arrived in large numbers under the cover of darkness and moved directly toward the police post, which serves as a key security outpost on the Bakinruwa–Maje axis. The officers on duty reportedly attempted to repel the assault but were quickly overwhelmed.

A local resident, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, said the gunmen operated with chilling confidence, firing repeatedly before closing in on the checkpoint.

According to the resident, the assailants shot the two policemen at close range, then set the makeshift tent and surrounding structures ablaze, leaving the post in ruins before withdrawing into the night.

The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed the incident through its spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, who disclosed that two officers were killed in the attack and the checkpoint was completely destroyed by fire.

Usman said the command had deployed additional personnel to the area and launched a manhunt for the perpetrators, insisting that security agencies were “on top of the situation” and would provide further details as investigations progress.

The Bakinruwa–Maje corridor, which links parts of Kebbi to neighbouring border communities, has emerged as a flashpoint in recent months. Security sources and local accounts indicate that the latest assault is the third major attack in the area, underscoring the growing boldness of armed groups operating across the region.

Earlier incidents along the same stretch reportedly claimed the lives of personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Immigration Service, prompting concerns that security operatives have become prime targets for criminal networks seeking to control movement and smuggling routes.

In response, security agencies are said to have intensified surveillance, joint patrols, and intelligence gathering in and around Bagudo Local Government Area. Authorities are also engaging local communities to encourage the sharing of information that could lead to the identification and arrest of the attackers.

Despite these measures, residents say fear now hangs over border settlements, with many calling for a more robust and permanent security presence to deter further raids and restore confidence in the state’s troubled frontier zones.