At least 15 people have been killed while several wounded others are receiving medical attention after terrorists invaded communities in Zamfara and Sokoto States Monday evening, residents have said.
The attacked communities were Ruwan Bore in Zamfara and Gatawa, Dangari and Kurawa in Sokoto State.
In Sokoto, a resident Nura Mamman, said that the attackers invaded Dangari few minutes after 2 p.m.
“I was in my house when I heard screams of women and children. By then, the bandits were trying to enter the community but a team of Soldiers and police men with vigilante members was putting them off.
“You know how they normally come to attack, they divide themselves into two or more groups and they were many this time around.
“The security agents couldn’t contain them because of their weapons,” Mr Mamman, a graduate of Sokoto State University, said.
He said when the attackers entered the community, most of the residents had run out to other villages.
Four residents were killed while over 10 others got various degrees of injuries, he said.
From Dangari, Premium Times reports that the terrorists went to Gatawa and Kurawa communities all in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of the state.
Basharu Guyawa, a resident of Isa Local Government Area said that at the last count on Monday night, 11 people from the tree communities were counted dead, with several others injured.
Mr Guyawa, who is the Chairman of Rundunar Adalci, a human rights group in Sokoto State, said terrorist attacks have become “normal.”
“The attacks are becoming daring and scary because for over a year now, these bandits attack at will.
“They no longer wait for night or engage in hide and seek game with security agents. Yesterday they came in the afternoon and perpetrated violence on innocent residents.
“As I speak to you now, 11 people are confirmed dead in these communities with at least eight residents in critical situation seeking urgent medical care,” he said.
Mr Guyawa however corroborated Mr Mamman’s story that security agents fought back when the terrorists first struck Dangari community.
The police spokesperson in Sokoto State, Sanusi Abubakar, didn’t respond to calls and SMS sent to him on the attacks.
Four killed in Zamfara
In Zamfara State, a group of terrorists attacked Ruwan Bore community in Gusau, the state capital, and killed four residents while 10 people were wounded.
An anonymous resident told BBC Hausa that the terrorists stormed the village Monday evening and started shooting sporadically.
“I escaped death by the whiskers,” he said in Hausa language.
“They came on more than 100 motorcycles. Women, and children especially, are now leaving the community to Kwatarkwashi for safety. We (men) stay behind to bury the dead.”
He, however, said government and security agencies need to be proactive to stem the attacks.
“These people (terrorists) are known. They are not aliens. Their parents and families are known so why are they allowed to continue killing innocent residents?
“Even last week, they imposed a four million Naira protection levy on Gora community and they went to the village with a van to forcibly collect 130 bags of grains,” the source said.
Mohammed Shehu, the police spokesperson in the state, did not respond to calls and SMS sent to him on the attack.
States in the North-west and a part of the North-central have been witnessing series of terrorists’ attacks leading to abduction and killing of students, farmers and other residents in the last couple of years.
Highways have also become endangered just as communities are raided leading to humanitarian crisis.
