Bandits kill three policemen, traders in Sokoto

As the heads of the Nigerian Army gathered in Sokoto for the 2022 Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference on Monday, suspected gunmen stormed Yarbulutu Village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of the state, killing six people including three policemen.

A source within the local government who spoke with our correspondent confirmed that the gunmen suspected to be bandits, yesterday afternoon stormed Yarbulutu village market killing three traders, three policemen and also setting their vehicles on fire.

The source who was an eye-witness to the unfortunate incidence said the gunmen came on bikes and opened fire on traders in the weekly market making people to flee scampering for their lives.

It was gathered that the policemen in a nearby checkpoint rushed to the scene and engaged the gunmen which resulted in the killing of three of them and setting ablaze their two operational vehicles.

Advertisement

Confirming the attack, the Police Public Relations Officer, Sokoto State Police Command, DSP  Sanusi Abubakar, said the command has received the report and they are hunting down the attackers to face justice.

Also confirming the incident, a resident of the village, Shayau Garba, who saw the happening at the market expressed concern with the way the gunmen have been terrorising the area without much resistance.

He said Sabon Birni and Isa local government areas in the eastern part of Sokoto have for long been held to ransom by bandits and kidnappers operating in Zamfara and part of Sokoto states.

“I am certain these gunmen were those from Zamfara State who now relocated to our areas as the area shares boarder with the state in the east,” the eyewitness said.

It could be recalled that last week gunmen attacked and killed six people in another village of Goronyo Local Government Area of the state.

A similar episode also took place early last year on a market day in Goronyo where gunmen killed more than 40 people.

The situation in the past forced the Sokoto State Government to close traffic at the Sokoto-Marnona-Isa road to avoid further attacks on commuters flying the once peaceful road.