Banditry: How Sokoto passengers were burnt alive in broad daylight

Some seasonal migrants have been burnt to death at Gidan Bawa village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Some seasonal migrants have been burnt to death at Gidan Bawa village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The migrants were said to be on their way to Gadan Gayan in Kaduna en-route to Southern part of the country in search of livelihood.

• ISWAP abducts 15 passengers in Borno, move them into Sambisa
• Zamfara: 6 killed as bandits block Kaura Namoda — Shinkafi Road

The vehicle, which they hired for the journey, was ambushed by the bandits who opened fire on them.

The incident was said to have occurred at Teke village in Gidan Bawa district around 10am on Monday.

“The bandits shot at the tyres of the vehicle, it somersaulted and burst into flame,” our source said

The bandits were said to have surrounded the vehicle while on fire to ensure none of the passengers survived the tragedy.

One of the vigilantes in Sabon Birni local government area told our reporter that the victims were from their area and neighbouring Niger Republic.

“They were on their way to the Southern part of the country in search greener pasture,” he said.

Another account told Daily Trust that there were 10 passengers in the vehicle and none of them survived the attack.

A member representing Sabon Birni South, Ibrahim Sa’idu, while confirming the incident said, the bandits were now robbing people of their motorcycles, phones and other valuables on their farms.

According to him, they abducted nine people at Masawa village recently.

A local guard said the military personnel deployed in the area were not responding to distress calls.