Seven persons, including two vigilantes, were Monday feared dead after bandits attacked Rarah village in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The attack came barely one hour after police paraded 54 bandits arrested in the state.
A source said the bandits that struck the community around 4pm operated till 6pm.
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“They killed four persons, including two elderly men in Rarah and three in the neighbouring villages, including two vigilantes who were coming to Rarah on a rescue mission,” he said.
According to the source, the bandits rustled several animals from the villages but there was no report of abduction in any of the communities.
When contacted, the spokesman for the Sokoto Police Command, ASP Sanusi Abubakar, promised to contact the Divisional Police Officer of Rabah for details of the attack. He had not contacted our reporter as of the time of filing this report.
In a related development, bandits have abducted over 50 residents of Ruwan Godiya village of Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
A resident, who pleaded anonymity, said the bandits came on over 60 motorcycles and started shooting sporadically.
He said they operated unchallenged for over two hours.
The resident alleged that there were over 20 military personnel in the village when the incident happened but they did not make any attempt to repel the attackers.
“Even before they came, we heard about their plan to attack and we informed security personnel, but unfortunately they came around 7:30pm and they were there in the town for over two hours.”
“They injured three persons but none was killed. However, they abducted over 50 people after looting some valuables, including clothing materials,” he said.
Another resident alleged that soldiers who came from Sheme side of the LGA saw the attackers crossing over the road with the kidnapped persons, but they did not make any attempt to rescue them.
In a similar incident, bandits have killed the former Sole Administrator of Dogon Dawa Development Area in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Alhaji Idris Adam Damari. He was killed after bandits in large number invaded Damari town shooting sporadically on Sunday night.
It was gathered that many people were also abducted by the bandits before fleeing the area.
A youth leader in the community who simply identified himself as Baba said the bandits were yet to contact the family of those abducted.
According to him, the deceased was buried on Monday according to Islamic rites.
Another resident of Birnin Gwari town, Muhammadu, lamented that bandits had taken over Damari, Randagi and Kakangi villages all in Birnin Gwari LGA and carried out attacks unchallenged.
Contacted, the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Jalige Mohammed, promised to get information on the incident before making comment.
Bandits have again attacked Ammale, Dakalo, Kuchiri, Kurmin-Giwa, Goto-Reshidat, Yanki and Goto-Sarki villages in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State less than 24 hours after 20 corpses were buried at Galadima-Kogo, Shiroro LGA of the state.
The attack which was said to have happened around 2pm Monday left one person dead while several others sustained various degrees of injuries.
A resident of the area said the bandits operated unchallenged in the communities, moving from one community to another, looting shops, shooting and abducting people.
He said those who sustained injuries had been taken to Kafin-Koro General Hospital for medical attention.
Meanwhile, fear has enveloped residents of Magami District of Zamfara State after sighting a motorbike-riding gang of armed criminals moving through communities. Residents told our correspondent that dozens of armed men suspected to be the boys of a notorious terror kingpin called Dandela were seen riding motorbikes moving towards a forest that links Zamfara with the neighbouring Niger State.
Dandela, who has been masterminding a series of attacks on communities in Magami District, was the brain behind kidnappings and cattle rustling around the area.
“His boys were the ones who forced the resident of Kurar Mota community to flee and I can tell you that more than 80 percent of the residents gave deserted their homes,” a resident called Isah said.
In a related development, aggrieved residents have blocked the Gusau – Magami – Dansadau road to register their anger over what they called unending attacks on motorists plying the road by the armed men.
Meanwhile, the state police command through its spokesman SP Muhammad Shehu said they had rescued 32 kidnapped victims who were abducted in Niger, Katsina and Zamfara states. He said that was achieved in collaboration with other security agencies.
From Abubakar Auwal (Sokoto), Tijjani Ibrahim (Katsina), Mohammed I.Yaba (Kaduna), Abubakar Akote (Minna) & Shehu Umar (Gusau)
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