JUST IN: Military Breaks Silence on Alleged Abduction, Killing of 150 People By Terrorists in Sokoto

• The defence headquarters has released a statement over a viral video purportedly showing the mass killing of 150 people recently kidnapped in Sokoto state
• The terrorists had said they killed the people over the alleged inability to pay ransom for their freedom
• Legit.ng reports that for over 10 years, violent extremism has been a major challenge in the prominent West African nation

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering politics and governance in Nigeria.

Sokoto, Sokoto state - The military high command on Monday, September 2, debunked claims of the abduction of 150 people by terrorists in Gobir in Sokoto state.

A statement signed by Major General Edward Buba, the director of defence media operations, obtained by Legit.ng, said the incident of mass killing and burial depicted by terrorists in a trending video happened in a nearby African country—and not Nigeria.

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The military statement partly reads:

“The attention of defence headquarters (DHQ) has been drawn to a trending video propagated from the terrorist camp.

"The video depicted the killing of several civilians in a mass grave. It must be noted that the incident never took place in Nigeria. Rather, it sadly took place in a nearby African country faced with terrorism."

Legit.ng reports that in the past few years, deadly attacks in Nigeria have been credited to groups like bandits, Boko Haram, and its offshoots ISWAP and Ansaru. Sometimes, the attackers engage in kidnap-for-ransom.

The attacks have also been spread across the country’s six geopolitical zones, prompting some state governments to recruit what they call community guards.

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Bandits gun down 4 soldiers

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that suspected bandits killed at least four Nigerian soldiers in a border community in the Gudu local government area of Sokoto state.

The tragic incident occurred when the gunmen ambushed and shot dead the soldiers.

Source: Legit.ng