Bandits raid Sokoto village, kill 7, rustle over 100 livestock

Suspected bandits on Wednesday night raided Kyara village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing seven people, injuring four others and abducting four residents. Residents said the attackers, numbering about 100, stormed the village between 10:30pm and 11pm, riding on about 40 motorcycles and carrying sophisticated weapons. They reportedly carried out the […]

Suspected bandits on Wednesday night raided Kyara village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing seven people, injuring four others and abducting four residents.

Residents said the attackers, numbering about 100, stormed the village between 10:30pm and 11pm, riding on about 40 motorcycles and carrying sophisticated weapons. They reportedly carried out the attack after several failed attempts in the past.

A resident, who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity, said the bandits fired sporadically on arrival, forcing villagers to flee to different locations for safety.

“They came in large numbers and started shooting everywhere. People ran for their lives,” he said.

• Independent Newspapers to hold silver jubilee awards
• EFCC tenders more evidence in Yahaya Bello’s alleged N110.4bn fraud trial

Sources said seven people were killed during the attack, while four others sustained injuries and were taken to hospital. Four residents were also abducted by the assailants, while over 100 livestock were rustled.

“They also carted away many valuables, including mobile phones, food items and other household essentials,” the source added.

Another resident said the community had been living in fear for years, noting that the bandits had been threatening the village for about five years before the latest attack.

“This attack did not come as a surprise to us. They have been planning it for the past five years,” he said.

Residents lamented that no security personnel had been deployed to reinforce the community since the attack. “There is no security presence here yet. We are completely on our own,” one of them said.

Findings by Daily Trust showed that many residents of the village had fled to neighbouring Niger Republic in search of safety, amid fears of further attacks.

The residents called on the government to urgently establish a military Forward Operations Base (FOB) in Kyara and surrounding communities to ensure lasting peace.

“We need a military base here. That is the only way we can have peace and return to our normal lives,” a resident said.

Efforts to speak with the Police Public Relations Officer of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, and the Special Adviser to the state governor on security matters, Lt. Col. Ahmad Usman (rtd.), were unsuccessful, as calls to their phone numbers were unanswered.