Shafa’atu, one of the initial survivors of the bandit attack in which 23 passengers of a bus were burnt to death in Sokoto state, has died after narrating her ordeal.
The 30-year-old woman who was receiving treatment at the Usman Danfordiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, for burn injuries before her death, had revealed that her mother and children were victims of the attack.
According to Shafa’atu, there were 33 elderly persons and many children in the vehicle when it was attacked by armed men believed to be loyal to Bello Turji, a notorious bandits’ kingpin terrorising the eastern part of Sokoto.
Shafa’atu said the bandits opened fire on the vehicle, forcing it to somersault. The men reportedly stood back to watch their victims die after an explosion occurred thereafter.
She said; “They kept firing at our vehicle until it somersaulted three times and burst into flames. Only me and one other passenger miraculously came out of the bus but the other passenger later died from gunshot injuries.
“I lost my four children, three girls who were grown up and my 10-month-old baby. I watched them, including my mother, maternal uncle, nephew and niece burn to ashes while the attackers were watching with delight.”