Bandits reportedly kill 32 in Sokoto communities

Bandits have reportedly killed no fewer than 32 people during attacks on Ungushi community in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

According to a report by Daily Trust, residents said the attackers invaded the community on Friday and continued their assault until Saturday morning, killing several residents and setting fire to houses, shops and vehicles.

A resident who witnessed the attack and participated in the burial of some of the victims on Sunday said the bandits stormed the community at about 2:15pm while residents were observing Jumu’a prayers.

He said the attackers parked their motorcycles in front of the mosque, dispersed worshippers and moved into the town, where they killed five people.

“After they left, we went to prepare for the burial of the victims. But they returned and killed two more people. Then they started coming from different directions, shooting continuously and surrounding the town,” he said.

According to the resident, people who were inside their houses fled, while others climbed a hill in the community in an attempt to escape the attackers.

He said he also managed to reach the hill by jumping across compounds, but later heard the bandits ordering their men to kill every man they encountered while sparing women and children.

The resident said the attackers eventually opened fire on those hiding on the hill.

“I saw some people who were with me on the hill being killed. By God’s grace, I managed to descend behind the hill and escaped into a farm, where I hid,” he said.

He said the attackers remained in the community until about 1am on Saturday before leaving, but returned later in the morning and continued killing residents.

According to him, the attackers eventually withdrew after security personnel arrived in the area.

The resident said residents returned to the community on Sunday and began searching for victims’ bodies.

“Today, some people were conducting funeral prayers for the victims while others were going around looking for more bodies. Eventually, we recovered and buried 32 bodies,” he said.

He also claimed that he personally saw the bodies of 13 bandits killed by residents during the attack, but said the attackers later returned and removed the bodies of their colleagues.

The resident said the bandits also set fire to seven houses, two shops and three vehicles, although rain prevented the fire from causing more extensive damage.

He said the attackers also invaded Umbutu, Maikurhuna, Gwandi, Girkau and Zugu communities, where they allegedly stole large numbers of livestock and other valuables without killing residents.

According to him, he heard that a military aircraft carried out an air strike against the attackers at about 6pm on Sunday in Indiri, forcing them to flee from Zugu.

He said it remained unclear whether some residents were still in the affected communities, as many had fled to Kebbe, Jega, Koko, Tambuwal, Aleiro, Agwada, Andarai, Jandutsi and other larger towns in Sokoto and Kebbi states.

The resident also said the General Officer Commanding, 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Sokoto, visited displaced residents in Kebbe on Sunday evening.

He said the GOC arrived with more than 200 soldiers and Hilux vehicles loaded with weapons, describing the visit as encouraging.

“We appreciate the visit and believe it will help in addressing the security situation in our area,” he said.

He appealed to the government to pay greater attention to residents of remote communities, particularly during the rainy season when movement becomes difficult.

Another Kebbe resident, who is familiar with the attacks and requested anonymity, said the latest incident followed the killing of four soldiers in Kebbe on Friday.

He said the attackers subsequently moved towards Ungushi, Maikurhuna, Umbutu, Gwandi and other communities.

According to him, some of his brothers working on farms in the area told him that the attackers were too numerous to count.

He said poor telecommunication networks had made it difficult to establish contact with residents in the affected communities.

However, he said he managed to speak with some residents of Ungushi who confirmed that about 30 bodies of victims killed by the attackers had been seen, although more bodies could still be recovered.

A displaced resident of Gwandi said the bandits entered the community at about noon but initially did not attack residents.

He said they returned later while residents were observing Isha’i prayers, forcing people to flee.

“We spent two days in the bush without food. They entered the village and stole our livestock and other valuables,” he said.

He added that one person was shot and sustained injuries that resulted in a broken bone, while another resident who had previously been kidnapped was later released.

The resident said almost everyone had fled the community, leaving only a few people behind.

He appealed to the government to intensify efforts to secure the affected communities and facilitate the safe return of displaced residents.

“We know the government is making efforts, but we want it to do more so that we can return to our homes safely,” he said.

When contacted, the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police, CP Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, said the command was not aware of the details of the reported casualties but confirmed that the military had visited the area.

“We don’t have these details, but I know the military had visited the place,” the CP said.

Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding, 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Bemgha Paul Koughna, has conducted an operational assessment visit to Kebbe amid heightened security threats in the area.

According to the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division, Nigerian Army/Sector 2 Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lt. Col. Olaniyi Osoba, the visit was aimed at assessing the security situation following renewed attacks allegedly linked to the Lakurawa terrorist group, particularly in Ungushi.

The GOC visited the Forward Operating Base in Kebbe and surrounding communities, where he engaged community leaders and residents to assess the situation and listen to their concerns.

The Army said Major General Koughna had also readjusted the security architecture in the area to prevent further terrorist infiltration and protect vulnerable border communities between Sokoto and Kebbi states.

During the visit, the GOC reassured residents that troops remained fully deployed and operationally focused on protecting lives and property.

He urged residents to remain calm and continue with their lawful activities, assuring them that security forces were firmly on the ground.

He also appealed to residents to strengthen cooperation with troops by providing credible and actionable intelligence on suspicious movements and activities.

The GOC said community support remained critical to detecting, disrupting and dismantling terrorist networks before they could launch further attacks.