Bandits abduct nine Sokoto women, kill five

Sokoto map

No fewer than five persons have been confirmed dead and nine women abducted following an attack by bandits on Bargaje Community in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The attackers, believed to be loyal to notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji, reportedly stormed the village in large numbers on Friday, shooting sporadically and setting houses ablaze. Residents said the assault lasted several hours, forcing many to flee into nearby bushes for safety.

A terrified resident of the community said the gunmen arrived on motorcycles late Friday night, killing five people and whisking away nine women.

“They came through the eastern axis and took us by surprise. The vigilantes tried to resist but were overpowered,” the source said.

While security operatives had yet to issue an official statement as of press time, a senior police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the attack but declined to give casualty figures.

Repeated attempts to reach the Sokoto State Police Command’s spokesperson, Ahmed Rufai, were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, the Isa Local Government Council has described as false and mischievous a viral social media report accusing its chairman, Sharehu Kamarawa, of ignoring an intelligence alert before the attack. Punch