No fewer than 21 persons are feared dead while 37 others were reportedly abducted after heavily armed bandits launched a deadly overnight attack on Tsamaye community in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The assault, which lasted from about 9 p.m. on Monday until the early hours of Tuesday, also forced thousands of residents to flee, with houses razed, livestock stolen and the once-bustling community largely abandoned.
Residents said the attack triggered another tragedy as dozens of villagers attempted to escape across a river after receiving reports that the bandits were advancing towards the community.
According to eyewitnesses, two overloaded boats capsized during the escape, leaving about 18 persons, mostly women and children, feared drowned, while seven others were rescued alive.
A resident alleged that the kidnappers confirmed holding 37 victims after relatives called the missing persons' telephone lines.
He said many of those abducted were women and children, explaining that several victims were seized from nearby farms where they had sought refuge because of repeated attacks on the community.
“Most people no longer sleep in the village because of the recurring attacks. They now pass the night on their farms, but the bandits searched those places and abducted many of them,” the resident said.
Another resident, who fled to Sokoto metropolis, said fear had emptied the community, forcing families to seek shelter with relatives in safer locations.
A local vigilante member claimed security operatives were alerted early but lacked the equipment needed to repel the attackers, adding that the gunmen moved freely through the village for hours.
He appealed to the Federal Government and the Sokoto State Government to provide Armoured Personnel Carriers and strengthen security presence to enable displaced residents to return home.
The vigilante member also disclosed that two houses were set ablaze during the attack, while several residents remained unaccounted for.
Chairman of Sabon Birni Local Government Area, Ayuba Hashimu, confirmed that the attack occurred but said the casualty figures were yet to be independently verified.
The spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, also confirmed the incident, saying additional security personnel had been deployed to the area to restore normalcy and prevent further attacks.
The latest assault comes barely days after bandits attacked the same community, killing eight residents, including three worshippers inside a mosque, underscoring the worsening security situation in parts of Sokoto State.
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