15 August 2026
Cattle rustling in Sokoto
OpenWatch has recorded 22 reported cattle rustling incidents in Sokoto State, 9 of them in the last 12 months. That is 4% of every incident recorded in the state, and ranks it 6 of 6 among the states where cattle rustling is reported often enough to profile.
Incidents · 12 mo
9
Fatalities · 12 mo
1
Incidents · all-time
22
Fatalities · all-time
35
Latest reported cattle rustling in Sokoto
5 August 2026 · Shagari, Rabah
Armed bandits launched two separate attacks on villages in Shagari and Rabah LGAs in Sokoto State on Tuesday evening, rustling a total of 452 domestic animals including cows, sheep, camels and goats. Joint security teams comprising police tactical units, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Village Community Response Unit, and Military FOB personnel engaged the bandits in gun battles, forcing them to flee and abandon all rustled animals; two villagers sustained gunshot wounds.
30 July 2026 · Binji
Armed bandits attacked Anada village in Binji LGA, Sokoto State around 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, firing sporadically and rustling 43 sheep. Police tactical operatives engaged the bandits in a gun duel, forcing them to flee into a nearby forest and abandoning all 43 sheep, which were fully recovered with no casualties reported.
20 July 2026 · Tangaza
Suspected Lakurawa bandits invaded Ayawa village in Tangaza LGA on Monday evening, firing sporadically and rustling 11 cattle. Police and security operatives responded, engaged the bandits in a gun duel, and recovered all 11 cattle intact after the bandits fled into a nearby forest.
15 July 2026
Bandits attacked a village in Sokoto State, killing one person, injuring another, and rustling camels. The incident follows a pattern of bandit activity in the North-West region.
3 July 2026 · Tureta
The Sokoto State Police Command repelled two separate bandit attacks in Tureta LGA and recovered 137 rustled cows during coordinated security operations.
2 June 2026 · Tureta
Troops repelled a bandit attack in Imasa Matankari village, Sokoto State, recovering 25 rustled cattle during a gun battle. No casualties were reported among security personnel or residents.
14 May 2026 · Binji
Armed bandits invaded Gimba Village in Sokoto State, shooting sporadically and stealing livestock. Security forces engaged the bandits, who eventually fled, leaving behind the stolen animals, which were later recovered.
18 April 2026 · Tangaza
A commercial driver was arrested in Sokoto for allegedly aiding the Lakurawa group by transporting stolen cattle and providing logistical support. His activities were brought to light after armed men intercepted his vehicle and stole money from him without harming passengers.
18 May 2024 · Illela
Bandits have been attacking grains traders in Illela, Sokoto State, leading to the deaths of eight traders over the past three years. The attacks have intensified as traders convey goods to Niger.
Other threats in Sokoto
About these figures
Counts cover incidents classified as cattle rustling in Sokoto State, drawn from OpenWatch’s incident record, excluding retracted reports and duplicates merged into an earlier report. Figures update hourly. Last recorded: 15 August 2026.
Reported numbers are a floor, not a census. Incidents in remote areas are routinely under-reported, and classification follows how an event was described in reporting, so a low count is not a guarantee of safety. See the full Sokoto risk profile for every threat type, or the methodology for how incidents are collected and classified.
Track Sokoto live on the incident map.