Four Injured as Bandits Attack Sokoto Community
Four people were reportedly injured when armed bandits invaded Isa town, headquarters of Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, in the early hours of Monday. According to sources, the assailants stormed the town around 1 a.m., shooting sporadically and injuring four residents who are currently receiving treatment at a hospital. Isa, one of the […]
Four people were reportedly injured when armed bandits invaded Isa town, headquarters of Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, in the early hours of Monday.
According to sources, the assailants stormed the town around 1 a.m., shooting sporadically and injuring four residents who are currently receiving treatment at a hospital.
Isa, one of the communities in eastern Sokoto, has been a hotspot for banditry and related criminal activities in recent years.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the situation could have been worse if not for the prompt response of security operatives deployed to the area.
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“They entered the town from the eastern axis, behind the residence of Sarkin Gobir Isa, and began shooting indiscriminately. Four people sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to the hospital,” he said.
The resident attributed the recent surge in attacks to a peace accord reportedly reached between some communities in Shinkafi, Zamfara State, and the bandits.
“Since the peace deal was signed, the bandits have redirected their attacks to our communities. They have stopped us from harvesting our crops,” he lamented.
“Just yesterday (Sunday), they abducted my elder brother who went to the stream to fetch sand.
“Initially, they asked us to pay whatever we could afford, and we managed to raise ₦1 million, but they rejected it. They are now demanding ₦6 million, which we cannot afford.”
However, the spokesman of the Sokoto Police Command could be be reached for a comment as at the time of filing this report.
Monday’s attack came just days after gunmen struck Kurawa village in neighboring Sabon Birni Local Government Area, killing three people, including the acting village head, Hussaini Alhaji Yawalle.
The attackers, who invaded Kurawa around midnight last Thursday, also abducted several residents and rustled more than 40 cattle.
A local source said the bandits breached part of the community’s perimeter fence before launching the assault.
“We received a call from nearby villages that armed bandits were advancing toward us. We quickly alerted the authorities, but they broke through the fence and started shooting,” the resident recounted.
“The attack lasted less than 30 minutes, unlike previous ones that went on for hours. Our vigilantes and community guards, with support from security personnel, repelled them.”
Despite the resistance, three residents were killed and buried the same day according to Islamic rites.
The latest attacks have heightened fears among residents of eastern Sokoto, where communities continue to suffer from recurring bandit violence despite increased security deployment.