Armed bandits in large numbers have attacked Alkalije community in Yabo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing five people, including a pregnant woman.
The incident occurred around midnight on Monday while residents were asleep.
According to local sources, the assailants are suspected to have come from neighboring Kebbi State, as Alkalije shares borders with Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto and several communities in Kebbi.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the bandits opened fire indiscriminately upon entering the village.
“They started shooting at people on sight and killed five of our neighbours instantly, including a pregnant woman,” he said.
He added that two other residents sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
A community leader in the area who pleaded not to be named lamented the frequent attacks on their villages by gunmen suspected to be crossing over from Kebbi State.
“They have been invading our communities from the neighboring Kebbi State and Silame. They kill and abduct our people. In some cases, they impose levies on communities, and if residents fail to pay within the given timeframe, they launch attacks,” he said.
The community leader appealed to the government to establish a security outpost in the area to help curb the attacks, noting that there is currently none.
When contacted, the spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, said he was not yet aware of the incident but promised to make inquiries.
However, he had not provided further details as of the time of filing this report.
The attack is the latest in a series of assaults on rural communities along the Sokoto-Kebbi border, where locals have repeatedly called for stronger security presence.
