No fewer than seven people were reportedly killed, while several others were abducted after suspected bandits invaded Tsamaye village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Three of the victims were reportedly killed inside a mosque during the attack, which began around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday and lasted until about 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
Residents said the attackers stormed the community in large numbers, firing indiscriminately, attacking homes, looting shops and rustling livestock.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the bodies of the seven victims were recovered after the bandits withdrew from the village on Wednesday morning.
According to the eyewitness, the attackers first surrounded security personnel stationed in the community and opened fire on them, preventing them from responding to distress calls from residents.
“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 laid siege to their location, preventing them from coming out, while other members of the group moved from house to house, rustling livestock, looting valuables and abducting residents,” the eyewitness said.
The source added that the security personnel were caught by surprise and remained pinned down throughout much of the attack.
He also said three of those killed died inside a mosque. According to him, the victims were displaced persons who had fled persistent bandit attacks in neighbouring communities and sought refuge in Tsamaye.
The eyewitness said two of the seven victims were indigenes of Tsamaye, while the remaining five were displaced residents from surrounding communities.
The attackers were also accused of breaking into shops, carting away goods, setting a vehicle ablaze, burning two shops and escaping with an unspecified number of livestock.
The eyewitness said the exact number of abducted residents could not immediately be confirmed because many villagers fled into nearby bushes when the shooting began.
He, however, stated that the abduction of at least three residents had been confirmed after relatives called their telephone numbers and the suspected bandits answered, informing them that the victims were in their custody.
The spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, confirmed that the command had received information about the incident.
He, however, said the police were still awaiting a comprehensive report on the attack.
“We are aware of the incident, but we are yet to get full details as we await the report,” Rufai said.
