Twenty people have been killed by bandits in Sokoto State within two days, despite the government’s peace deal with the assailants.
The people were killed in different attacks on communities in Sabon Birni and Rabah local government areas between last Friday and Sunday.
Several livestock were also rustled and the bandits broke into shops and stole an unspecified number of goods.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE gathered that among their victims were 19 vigilantes who they ambushed at Yartsakuwa village in Rabah local government on Sunday.
A councilor representing the area, Aminu Mu’azu Gandi, said bandits on arrival at the village killed a vigilante leader on his farm.
“They met him at his farm and shot severally and as the bullets were not penetrating him, they tightened his legs and hands and dragged him their motorcycles until he was torn apart,” Gandi said.
“When members of vigilantes in other communities heard about the development, they mobilized themselves and went after them which resulted in a gun duel that led to the death of 19 of them,” he said
“In Gandi, we lost about 14 vigilantes and the remaining ones were from our surrounding communities.”
Another resident of Gandi who sought anonymity told the 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that he counted about 15 bodies before he left Ghandi on Sunday. He said the vigilantes were ambushed on their way to Yartsakuwa to repel the attack on the community.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that bandits had on Sunday killed three during their attack on Garin Zogo, Nasarawa, Gidan Idi and Rambadawa villages.
“The bandits attacked Garin Zogo at about 10:30 pm and operated for hours,” said Ibrahim Muhammad Saraki, a resident of the area. “They also rustled animals, broke into many shops, and carted away an unascertained number of goods.
“We are not living in peace in our communities any longer because the killing is taking place every day. As I am talking to you now our people no longer sleep in their homes. They spend their night in Sabon Birni town and return in the morning, including me.
“And there are some villages that are completed deserted like Rambadawa, Garin Idi, Tudun Wada, Nasarawa, Tamindawa, Garin Ango, Tsaunar Dogo and Tashalawa.”
The spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, Sanusi Abubakar, confirmed the attacks but said the police repelled the attack on Yartsakuwa.
“When our men arrived the scene they had already lost 10 of their
members but we succeeded in repelling the attack,” Abubakar said
However, a councilor representing the area, Aminu Mu’azu Ghandi, said the number of those killed was 19 and not 10 as mentioned by the police.
He said the attacks on communities continued despite the ongoing peace deal between the state government and bandits.
The state Commissioner for Security and Carrier Matters, retired Colonel Garba Moyi, had said the state government opted to negotiate with bandits because there were not enough security operatives to protect lives and properties of its people in all towns and villages.