At least seven persons have been killed, including three worshippers shot dead inside a mosque, after heavily armed bandits invaded Tsamaye village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The attackers, who reportedly stormed the community at about 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, also abducted several residents, rustled livestock, looted shops and valuables, and set property ablaze during an operation that lasted for more than six hours.
Residents said the bandits did not leave the village until about 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday, leaving behind trails of destruction and fear.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers first laid siege to security operatives stationed in the community, preventing them from responding to distress calls before unleashing coordinated attacks on residents.
According to him, the assailants surrounded the security post and opened fire, effectively pinning down the operatives while other members of the gang moved freely through the village.
“We were sitting after the Isha’i prayer when the bandits invaded our village. They first surrounded the security operatives stationed in the community and opened fire on them. They prevented them from coming out while others went from house to house, rustling livestock, looting valuables and abducting residents,” the source said.
He disclosed that three victims were killed inside a mosque during the attack, noting that they were among displaced persons who had fled neighbouring communities due to persistent banditry.
The witness added that the attackers also broke into several shops, carted away goods, set a vehicle ablaze and burnt two shops before fleeing.
Residents who combed the village on Wednesday morning reportedly recovered the bodies of seven victims.
According to the eyewitness, two of those killed were indigenes of Tsamaye, while the remaining five were internally displaced persons who had sought refuge in the village after fleeing attacks in neighbouring communities.
The exact number of abducted residents, however, remained unclear as many villagers escaped into nearby bushes during the attack.
“We believe some people escaped because of the confusion. It is only later today that we may know the actual number of those abducted,” the resident said.
He added that the attackers made away with an unspecified number of livestock.
The source further revealed that the abduction of at least three residents had been confirmed after relatives called their telephone lines and the bandits answered, confirming that the victims were in their custody.
Despite the scale of the attack, the resident defended the security personnel deployed to the community, saying they were overwhelmed after being caught off guard.
“Our security personnel have always been doing their best to protect us and even assist neighbouring communities. This time, however, the bandits took them by surprise and prevented them from coming to our rescue,” he said.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, confirmed that the command was aware of the incident but said details were still being compiled.
“We are aware of the incident but we are yet to get full details
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