SUSPECTED bandits have abducted eight persons in Garin Idi village, Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, with some of the victims reportedly related to the state’s deputy governor.
Local sources told News Point Nigeria that the attackers, who arrived on eight motorcycles, stormed the village around 1:00am on Thursday, firing sporadically and forcing terrified residents to flee into nearby bushes and other safe locations.
Residents said the armed men operated freely in the community for about two hours without any security response.
“I have never heard gunshots as intense as what we experienced yesterday. Now, we only fear them when they come, but once they leave, we calm down because we have become used to it. Still, there is no help,” one of the residents lamented.
Another source, who requested anonymity, said the attackers initially rounded up about 30 people, mostly women and children, before later releasing some of them and taking away eight victims.
According to the source, three of those abducted were men while the remaining five were women.
He explained that some children and other captives were eventually released because the assailants had limited space on their motorcycles.
The victims were identified as Hassana Adare Maifata, Rabi Alhaji Ishaqa, Kwamuso Umar, Yar’aji Garba, Kabiru Alkasim, Sani Muazu, Jadi Alkasim, who was said to be a patient, and a woman whose father was reportedly the same as that of the deputy governor, identified as Late Aliyu.
Sources said most of the abducted persons are members of the deputy governor’s family.
The source further disclosed that the attackers also raided a phone charging point in the village, carting away more than 100 mobile phones, several power banks, and N40,000 in cash.
“When they entered the charging point, the operator fled. They then took phones mostly smartphones and power banks being charged, along with cash,” the source added.
Residents of the community called on the government, especially the deputy governor, to urgently address the worsening security situation affecting the area.
“We are appealing to him to look into our condition. As our son and the deputy governor, it is painful that we are being neglected despite being his relatives. We support him and do not wish him ill, but he has not assisted us in this difficult situation,” one resident said.
The residents expressed concern that despite their close relationship with the deputy governor, the community continues to suffer repeated attacks without urgent intervention from authorities.
Efforts to get comments from the spokesperson of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, were unsuccessful as of the time this report was filed.