Bandits attack Sokoto village, kill 13, abduct 73

At least 13 persons have been killed in attacks on communities in Sokoto State.

73 persons were also abducted during the attacks that took place in different communities across three local government areas.

The affected local governments include Sabon Birni, Gada and Goronyo. Among those abducted are women and children.

The communities were attacked simultaneously last Monday.

A traditional title holder in Sabon Birni, who sought for anonymity, told Daily Trust that three communities were attacked in his local government area and 11 persons were killed.

The communities were Gatawa and Dangari where six persons were killed, two at Gatawa and three at Kurawa.

Corroborating this, the leader of the vigilante group in Sabon Birni, Musa Muhammad, and the legislative member representing Sabon Birni South Constituency at the state House of Assembly, Aminu Almustapha Boza, said the deceased were killed on the farm around 5pm on Monday.

Boza said several persons have been kidnapped by the attackers.

The Chairman of Goronyo LGA, Abdulwahab Goronyo, who decried incessant attacks on the communities, said two persons were killed while 23 others were kidnapped in Shinaka and Kagara communities last Monday.

Similarly, the member representing Gada East Constituency at the state House of Assembly, Kabiru Dauda, told our reporter that over 50 people including women and children were abducted by bandits in the area on Monday.

“I cannot give the exact number of people killed during the attacks but as I am talking to you, many of our people who sustained injuries are receiving treatment in different hospitals,” he said.

Dauda lamented that despite their numerous complaints about their fragile security situation, nothing was done to address the problem.

“We complained to the Commissioner for Security, the DSS and the police because we know the routes used by these bandits to carry out their attacks on our communities but all our efforts were in vain,” he said.

He, however, called for the redeployment of more security operatives in the area.