Bandits Kill Five, Injure Three, Abduct Residents in Sokoto’s Kebbe LGA

By Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto

Suspected bandits have killed five people, injured three others and abducted an unspecified number of residents following an attack on Girkau town in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Local sources said the armed men attacked the community and surrounding areas on Thursday evening, leaving residents in fear as security agencies moved to contain the situation.

According to the sources, some of the attackers were believed to be hiding around the area after the assault.

The attack reportedly occurred amid claims that bandits had imposed a N40 million levy on Kebbe town, allegedly threatening further violence if the money was not paid.

The spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed the attack in a telephone interview on Friday, saying a joint security operation was underway to restore normalcy and rescue those abducted.

“Yes, it is true that the bandits have struck in the area. There is already an ongoing operation by the combined security forces to rout out the bandits from the area and free the abductees,” Rufai said.

He said there were no fatalities among security personnel involved in the operation but could not immediately confirm whether any of the attackers had been killed.

“The security forces are doing their possible best to bring normalcy to the area, other parts of Kebbe LGA and the generality of Sokoto State,” he added.

The spokesperson for the Nigerian Army’s 8 Division, Lt.-Col. Olaniyi Osoba, also confirmed the deployment of troops to Kebbe.

According to him, additional personnel and military assets sent to the area were intended to reinforce the ongoing security operation.

“So, if you see the deployment of additional troops and military assets in the area, it is just to reinforce the operation,” Osoba said.

The latest attack has heightened security concerns in parts of Sokoto State affected by banditry, kidnapping and reported demands for levies from rural communities.

Residents have appealed to the federal and Sokoto State governments to intensify security operations, protect vulnerable communities and ensure the safe rescue of those abducted.