From Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto
No fewer than seventeen people have been been killed during confirmed dead during an attack on Tara village in Sabon Birnin local Government Area of Sokoto State by gunmen suspected to be bandits.
A resident of the community who spoke on condition of anonymity to Saturday Sun said four additional bodies were discovered after buried no fewer than thirteen victims of the deadly attack.
He disclosed that the attackers caught the villager’ guards unaware after invaded the community through uncommon route to perpetrate to cause havoc on the victims.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Anus Abubakar confirmed the attack in a statement.
He said three people were critically injured and are currently receiving medical attention at Orthopedic hospital in Wamakko town.
He added that the state commissioner of Police, CP Kamaldeen Okunlola, has visited the affected village and assured that additional personnel would be drafted to ensure security in the area.
The village Head of Tara, Mainasara Muhammed Tara, recounts how the bandits carted away large number of livestock away after burning down their food storage facilities.
“They came around 11:58pm, through the uncommon route to the village because our men and youth are guarding all the major entrances.
“We have not been sleeping in the night because of the incessant attacks on our villages.
“We divided ourselves into groups and each group was guiding one of the major entrance into the village.
“So they sneaked into the village through the eastern axis, and opened fire on members of the group that were stationed around that area, killing both of them.
“They then proceeded into the town, killing people at sight. We just buried 13 bodies, including a six year old girl and seven people who were critically injured have been taken to the nearest hospital for treatment,” Muhammad said
He lamented that the joint taskforce who were alerted earlier did nothing to protect them.
Muhammad noted that this was the second time in two months that the village was attacked, recalling that they had lost about 200 livestock in the previous attack.
Asked if they would remain in the village after the attack, he said “we don’t have anywhere to go that is more secured.
“We can’t abandon our village because of this attack, already we have lost virtually everything, our grains, livestock and wealth,” he said
