Gunmen kill ASP, 70-year-old man in failed Sokoto cattle rustling attack

From Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto

A late Monday night raid by suspected bandits in Kurya village, Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State, has reportedly left an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and a 70-year-old man dead.
The victims have been identified as ASP Hussaini Balarabe and 70-year-old Bala Wakili.
A third resident, Salisu Bala, sustained injuries during the violence and is currently recovering at an undisclosed hospital.
It was gathered that during the assault, the heavily armed attackers destroyed security property, setting fire to two operational vehicles.
The Sokoto State Police Command Spokesperson, DSP Ahmed Rufai, who confirmed the tragedy, noted that the primary motive of the bandits was cattle rustling, but their operation was severely disrupted by a joint intervention from the Police and the Community Guards Corps who responded to distress calls.
“Because of the heavy gunfire and swift response, the targeted livestock scattered into the nearby forests, thwarting the bandits’ primary mission.
“Their mission was aborted by the swift intervention of the Police and the Community Guards Corps.
“We are also happy that the bandits had also recorded some heavy casualties, although their number could not be immediately ascertained as they also fled into the forests,” stated DSP Rufai.
Security forces are currently trailing the fleeing suspects in an effort to bring them to justice.
Meanwhile, the remains of the deceased ASP have been deposited at a hospital for an autopsy.
In the wake of this latest attack, residents of Kebbe and neighboring border communities are urgently renewing their appeals for a stronger, more permanent security presence to deter future banditry in the state.