Seven Killed, Scores Feared Abducted as Terrorists Raid Sokoto Community
By Fahad Faruk Galadanchi
An eyewitness has narrated how suspected terrorists overran Tsamaye village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing seven people, abducting several residents and looting property after allegedly pinning down security personnel stationed in the community.
The witness, who spoke to Daily Trust on condition of anonymity, said the attackers first surrounded security operatives deployed to the village and opened fire on them, preventing them from responding to distress calls from residents.
According to the eyewitness, the terrorists then moved from house to house, looting shops, rustling livestock and abducting villagers before fleeing in the early hours of Wednesday. Seven bodies were recovered after the attackers withdrew.
Three of the victims were reportedly killed inside a mosque. They were said to be internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had fled previous terrorist attacks in neighbouring communities and sought refuge in Tsamaye.
The source disclosed that two of those killed were indigenes of Tsamaye, while the remaining five were displaced residents from nearby communities. The attackers also burnt two shops, set a vehicle ablaze and made away with an unspecified number of livestock.
The eyewitness added that the exact number of abducted residents remains unclear, as many villagers escaped into nearby bushes during the attack. However, at least three abductions have been confirmed after relatives called the victims’ phone numbers and suspected terrorists answered the calls.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, said the command was aware of the attack but was still awaiting a comprehensive report.
“We are aware of the incident, but we are yet to get full details as we await it” Rufai said.
Security authorities are continuing efforts to determine the full extent of the attack and establish the exact number of missing residents.
