Bandits Kill Five Farmers, Injure Five in Fresh Sokoto Attacks

By Fahad Faruk Galadanchi

Suspected bandits have killed five farmers and injured five others in separate attacks on Ghandi and Gidan Kare communities in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

According to Daily Trust the attacks, which occurred between 7am and 8am on Sunday, reportedly happened as residents were making their way to their farms.

A security source said three farmers were killed in Ghandi, while two others lost their lives in Gidan Kare, where the attackers also reportedly set several houses ablaze.

Five other victims sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to a hospital for medical treatment.

The latest attacks occurred barely two days after security operatives reportedly ambushed and killed several suspected bandits in the area.

According to the security source, the assault was believed to be a reprisal attack following the killing of 15 suspected bandits at Maikujera during the recent security operation.

“We suspect it was a reprisal attack following the last operation by security operatives, which led to the killing of 15 bandits at Maikujera” the source said.

Security personnel were subsequently deployed to the affected communities, but the attackers had fled before their arrival.

“We went to the area, but we could not get them because they had left before our arrival” the source added.

When contacted, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, said he had yet to receive a briefing on the incident.
“I have not been briefed yet. Let me get the details and get back to you” Rufa’i said.

He had not provided further details as of the time of filing this report.