Suspected bandits have killed members of a family after setting their home ablaze in Gidan Taba community, Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The attackers reportedly invaded the community on Saturday night, November 7, 2026, and found the family hiding inside a room to escape abduction.
They allegedly ordered the occupants to open the door. When the family refused, the gunmen set the building on fire, trapping those inside.
Reports have given different casualty figures. The Maradun Local Government Chairman, Sanusi Ahmed Dosara, confirmed that 12 family members died. Some early reports put the number at 13, while a later report quoted the police as giving a preliminary figure of 11.
Family reportedly locked itself inside room
The victims were identified as members of the family of Mallam Muhammadu Sani.
Residents said the family had gathered in one room to protect themselves from the attackers. However, the gunmen reportedly discovered their hiding place and demanded that they open the door.
When they refused, the attackers set the room ablaze.
Dosara described the incident as heartbreaking and said the victims included a father, his wives and young children.
He explained that the victims died from the intense heat after the fire engulfed the building’s roof. The local government chairman also led funeral prayers for the deceased on Sunday morning.
Other residents abducted during attack
The attackers also reportedly abducted other residents during the raid.
The exact number of people taken away remained unclear in the initial reports. However, local sources said community vigilantes engaged the attackers in a gun battle and secured the release of some captives.
The attack left residents fearful, with community members calling on security agencies and the Zamfara State Government to strengthen protection in the area.
Police confirm attack, casualty figures differ
The Zamfara State Police Command later confirmed the incident, according to a report published on Monday.
Police spokesperson DSP Yazid Abubakar reportedly said the command received information from the Divisional Police Officer in Maradun and put the death toll at 11.
He also said the head of the family was a vigilante member who had helped defend the community against bandit attacks. The police spokesperson added that reinforcement had been deployed to the area.
The police figure differs from the 12 deaths reported by the local government chairman and the 13-person figure circulated in some early reports. The final casualty figure therefore remains unclear.
The attack adds to the continuing security challenges facing rural communities in Zamfara and other parts of Nigeria’s North-West, where armed groups carry out killings and mass abductions.
