Bandits Kill Scores In Sokoto Over Refusal To Pay Levies

Over fifty persons were reportedly killed in two local governments areas of Sokoto State after gruesome attacks by bandits on Saturday evening.

The affected local governments area includes Gwadabawa and Tangaza local government areas of the state.

Sokoto Police Command PPRO, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, who later confirmed the attacks on Sunday, assured that the command is on top of the situation and promised to give update on the attacks.

Hours after the attack on three communities in Tangaza local government area of Sokoto state, corpses of 37 persons were yet to be buried.

The communities attacked on Saturday evening are Raka, Raka Dutse, and Filin Gawa in Tangaza local government area.

The immediate past local government chairman of Tangazaa, Bshar Kalenjeni also confirmed the attacks saying 18 persons were killed at Raka, 17 at Filin Gawa and two at Raka Dutse.

In his narration, Kalenjeni said, “the bandits sometimes impose levies on the communities to be paid within a stipulated time and also want to be dictating to the residents on what to do.

“The offence of the villagers was their refusal to pay the levies imposed on their communities and succumb to the bandits threat.

“Angered by the villagers bold face, the bandits struck Saturday evening, killing 37 persons while several others with various degrees of gunshot injuries are currently receiving treatment at General Hospital, Gwadabawa.

“We wanted to bury those killed in the night but the bandits came back and dispersed us. As at this morning, the deceased are still there, yet to be buried.

“As this moment I am talking to you, we are waiting for security operatives to lead us to the villages in order to bury the dead ones and comb the surrounding areas in search of those missing.”

Speaking with our correspondent, a source in Gwadabawa local government, said, “some of the bandits were already in the town unknown to residents of the affected communities before others arrived in the evening to strike.

“The operation started after evening prayer where they attacked the two most populous villages of Sakamaru and Bilingawa, simultaneously.

“In Bilingawa, not less than 18 people were killed with Sakamaru being the worst, where scores of people were slaughtered and others killed in gunshot.

“After killing them, they set their corpses and that of their animals on fire by ensuring that most of them were burnt beyond recognition” he said.