Bandits Kill Newly Recruited Teacher, 2 Others In Sokoto Ambush

A newly recruited teacher in Sokoto State, Maniru Sa’adu Imam, has been killed alongside a driver and his five-year-old son in an ambush by suspected bandits along the Gundumi-Isa road.

Imam, 30,  a father of one, was reportedly returning to Isa Local Government Area on Wednesday after attending a salary verification exercise in Sokoto metropolis ahead of the commencement of payment to newly recruited teachers.

The other victims were identified as Abdurrahman Umar, the driver of the vehicle conveying them, and his five-year-old son, Abubakar Abdurrahman.

According to Daily Trust, a witness, Malam Kabiru Isa, said that the victims were travelling behind a convoy of vehicles returning to Isa under heavy security escort when the attack occurred.

According to Isa, residents of Isa travel to Sokoto metropolis only twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, because of the prevailing security challenges in the area.

He said the convoy departed at about 4pm on Wednesday, but some vehicles, including the one conveying the victims, returned to their usual meeting point after the others had left.

“We wanted to wait for everyone who had travelled with us, but the security operatives insisted that we leave early, so we left them behind,” he said.

Isa explained that as the convoy approached Gundumi, the security personnel escorting them spotted suspected bandits and opened fire, forcing the gunmen to flee.

He, however, said the assailants later ambushed vehicles travelling behind the convoy and opened fire on their occupants.

“They killed three people, including Imam, the driver and his son. They also injured three others, while one passenger is still missing,” he said.

The witness added that the deceased were buried on Thursday morning.

Isa said Imam was among teachers recently recruited by the Sokoto State Government and posted to Government Day Secondary School, Maitandu.

He added that the deceased had yet to receive his first salary and had travelled to Sokoto metropolis for a verification exercise ahead of the commencement of payment.

“He had not started receiving his salary. In fact, he went to Sokoto for the verification exercise ahead of their payment,” Isa said.

Efforts to obtain confirmation from the Sokoto State Police Command were unsuccessful as its spokesperson, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, did not respond to calls from our reporter.