BANDITS have launched a deadly attack on Garin Faji village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing a father and his eight-year-old daughter during the raid.
News Point Nigeria reports that no fewer than 17 persons were abducted, while about 50 cows were rustled during the attack.
Local sources told Daily Trust that the assailants invaded the village in large numbers on foot, reportedly abandoning their motorcycles at a distance to avoid attracting attention through engine noise.
A resident of the community, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said the attackers began shooting sporadically immediately after arriving in the village, forcing residents to flee for safety.
“I was in my shop around 12:00 a.m. on Wednesday, when I heard gunshots that signaled their arrival. I quickly closed and went into hiding,” the resident said.
According to him, the bandits later stormed a house where they killed a man identified as Haruna Dan Kwambo alongside his eight-year-old daughter.
The attackers also abducted the deceased’s two wives, as well as the wives of his brother and his brother’s children, including other children in the family.
Residents disclosed that a total of 17 persons were abducted during the attack, including three men, while the remaining victims were women and children.
The bandits also rustled about 50 cows from the community before fleeing.
Residents lamented that the latest incident was not the first attack on the village, recalling previous invasions in which several people were killed or abducted by armed bandits.
They also recounted another tragic incident in which villagers attempting to flee bandit attacks drowned after a boat conveying them capsized, resulting in the death of about 10 persons.
“They operated for about one hour. Before security operatives arrived, they had already left,” the source said.
He further lamented the lack of adequate security presence in the area.
“We are calling on authorities to rescue our abducted relatives. The situation is becoming unbearable,” he added.
Efforts to get comments from the Police Public Relations Officer in Sokoto State, DSP Ahmad Rufai, were unsuccessful as calls and text messages sent to him were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.