Farmers Killed in Fresh Attack on Sokoto Communities

Suspected bandits have killed five farmers and injured five others in a fresh attack on two communities in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The incident occurred on Sunday morning, barely two days after security operatives reportedly ambushed and killed scores of bandits in the area. A security source said that the latest attack was suspected to be a reprisal by the bandits following the killing of some of their members during a security operation. According to the source, the attackers stormed the communities of Ghandi and Gidan Kare between 7 am and 8 am when farmers were heading to their farms. “Three farmers were killed at Ghandi, while two others were killed at Gidan Kare, where the attackers also set some houses ablaze,” the source said. The source added that five other persons sustained gunshot injuries and were receiving treatment at a hospital. “We suspect it was a reprisal attack following the last operation by security operatives, which led to the killing of 15 bandits at Maikujera,” the source said. He said security personnel were deployed to the affected communities following the attack, but the assailants had fled before their arrival. “We went to the area, but we could not get them because they had left before our arrival,” he added. When contacted, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, said he had not been briefed about the incident. “I have not been briefed yet. Let me get the details and get back to you,” he said. He, however, had not done so as of the time of filing this report.