Armed Bandits Reportedly Set Ablaze Scores of Passengers in Sokoto State
- Sokoto is in the news again for all the wrong reasons as armed bandits set ablaze scores of passengers in a bus
- While some eyewitnesses say the terrorists killed 42 persons, the police in the state put the figure at 17
- The northwest state has come under attack by armed bandits in recent months sparking outrage among northern stakeholders
Gidan Bawa - Gunmen suspected to be bandits on Tuesday, December 7 burnt scores of passengers traveling from Sabon Birni local government area to Sokoto town.
Leadership newspaper reports that the incident which occurred at about 9 am in the morning happened around Gidan Bawa village where the terrorists blocked the road and set the vehicle ablaze.
Source: Facebook
The Sokoto state police command spokesperson, ASP Sanusi Abubakar, confirmed the incident, noting however that those killed might be about 17.
He explained that the vehicle carried 24 passengers, out of which 7 were admitted to an undisclosed hospital.
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Punch newspaper, however, reports that the victims numbering about 10, including a Nigerien and locals from Sabon Birni, were on their way to Gadan Gayan in Kaduna en-route southern part of the country in search of livelihood.
More inside details of the incident narrated
A resident of Sabon Birni who narrated the incident when he arrived Sokoto said:
“The bandits shot at the tyres of the vehicle, it somersaulted and burst into flame. Not done, the bandits surrounded the burning vehicle to ensure none of the passengers survived.”
A former local government chairman of Sabon Birni, Idris Gobir, who also confirmed the incident said, the bandits are now on the rampage, unleashing havoc on the helpless villagers.
Kaduna continues to be the epicentre of bandits' attacks
Recall that some armed bandits in the early hours of Friday, December 3 invaded the Ungwan Gimbiya village in Chikun local government area of Kaduna state, killing two persons while over 50 members of the community were abducted during the attack.
The terrorists stormed the community on the day and attacked no fewer than 13 members of different families.
The community is a few kilometres away from Kakau Daji where over 60 worshippers of Emmanuel Baptist Church were kidnapped in October 2021 during a church service.
Northern youths kick over continuous insecurity in the region
Meanwhile, Northern youths have called for the review of the security architecture of Nigeria as attacks continue to escalate.
The youths also called for the immediate sack of the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd).
According to them, the massive killings and raiding of communities in the north by bandits, Boko Haram insurgents, ISWAP, and other terrorist groups rampaging the region can no longer be tolerated.
Source: Legit.ng
