Abdulahi Bah
Not less than 15 villagers have been confirmed dead after a group of armed men, suspected to be bandits who have been carrying out assaults in several communities, attacked kwallajiya village in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The 15 villagers reportedly succumbed to their injuries after the assailants stormed their homes, unleashing chaos across the community.
The gunmen allegedly invaded the area before dawn, randomly firing at unsuspecting residents without encountering any resistance from security forces.
The attackers, believed to be led by a notorious bandit kingpin identified as Charambe, left several others with varying degrees of injuries during the deadly assault.
Eyewitnesses told The Journal Nigeria, that 15 villagers were killed on the spot, while at least seven others sustained gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
They added that the attackers operated freely for hours, with no immediate response from security personnel.
“We are tired of this bloodshed. The people of Sokoto State have suffered enough. We urge the government and security agencies to intensify their efforts, and for communities to fully cooperate in exposing those aiding these criminals,” one resident said.
Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman of Tangaza Local Government Area, where the attack occurred, Isa Bashir, led a government delegation to the scene to assess the damage.
In a show of solidarity, the chairman also attended the mass burial of the victims, standing with grieving families and community leaders.
“The scale of this violence is heartbreaking. We cannot continue like this,” Bashir reportedly said during the burial, urging both federal and state authorities to strengthen security in Sokoto’s border communities.
As of the time of filing this report, reaching Sokoto State Police Command proved abortive.
