UPDATED: Gunmen Kill 3, Abduct 15 Students In Sokoto

Suspected gunmen struck in two local government areas of Sokoto State, killing three persons and abducting a woman alongside 15 Tsangaya students in the two separate attacks on Saturday.

A village head was among those killed when the hoodlums attacked Turba village in Isa local government area of the State.

Also, in Gada local government area of the State, 15 students of Tsangaya School at Gidan Bakuso were reportedly kidnapped in the early hours of Saturday.

The whereabouts of the students was still unknown as at the time of filing this report.

When contacted, the spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, said he was not aware of the incidents.

He, however, asked for ample time to contact the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) of the affected local government areas to get proper briefing and revert back to our reporter.

Similarly, there was no word yet from the Sokoto State government as news of the twin attacks filtered into the state capital during the unveiling of the state’s Community Guards Corps, with governors of North-West States in attendance.

Multiple sources, who confirmed the Isa LGA attack, said the village head was killed by the attackers.

One of the sources said, “What you are trying to confirm really happened. I cannot comment further because I don’t want to be the next victim.”

The lawmaker representing Isa State Constituency, Hon. Habibu Modachi, who also confirmed the incident, linked the attack to a reprisal after security operatives raided suspected bandits’ hideouts two days ago.

On his part, the proprietor of the Tsangaya School from where students were kidnapped, Liman Abubakar, told journalists that 15 students were unaccounted for so far, but they were “still counting.”

Abubakar said the bandits invaded the town around 1am, shot one person and abducted a woman.

“As they were leaving the town, they sighted our students rushing into their rooms and they kidnapped many of them.

“We have so far counted 15 who are missing and we are still searching for more,” he said.

Abubakar added that this was not the first time the village was attacked by bandits.

Also, the member representing Gada East Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Kabiru Dauda, while confirming the attack, said he received the news around 2am that the village was being invaded by gunmen.

“I reached out to the local government authorities and security agencies, and I am sure they are doing something about it,” he stated.