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| File Photo: Gunmen silhouette |
Gunmen have reportedly killed passengers travelling home from Sokoto city towards Isa Local Government Area, with a conflict reporter linking some of the reported victims to a state government recruitment exercise.
Daily Post’s initial account attributed the information to Bakatsine, who reports on conflict in north-western Nigeria. The publication did not establish a casualty figure or verify the identities of those killed.
According to the account, armed men stopped the vehicle during the passengers’ return journey and opened fire. Bakatsine claimed that none of its occupants survived.
He alleged that some of those killed belonged to a group of 3,000 people recruited by the Sokoto State Government. Members of that group had reportedly received invitations for additional screening and the collection of their documents.
The account did not specify how many of the passengers belonged to the recruitment group or identify the programme involved.
Daily Post also reported that Bakatsine shared photographs which he presented as images of some of the deceased. The publication said authorities had not confirmed the attack or the number of deaths when it filed its report.
The reported shooting follows other armed incidents documented in Sokoto State, including an attack earlier this month in Isa Local Government Area.
In that incident, the state police command said officers repelled gunmen who entered Tsabre village at about 1am on 2 October. Police spokesperson Ahmad Rufa’i said the attackers fired shots before security personnel responded to a distress call.
Rufa’i said the divisional police officer mobilised tactical teams, including officers from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and the Violent Crime Response Unit. He said an exchange of gunfire forced the attackers to retreat into a nearby forest.
Police subsequently reported recovering two rocket launchers and two empty AK-47 magazines during a search of the area.
The military had also reported attacks affecting travellers and farmers in the state in June. A statement reported by Arise News said troops rescued 22 people during operations on 18 June in Sabon Birni and Isa local government areas.
That account said armed men blocked the Sabon Birni–Shinkafi Road at Kura Mota village, attacked two civilian vehicles and abducted passengers. Troops later rescued 17 people following a pursuit, while one civilian died during the attack.
In another operation described in the statement, soldiers rescued five farmers after responding to an attempted abduction at Chohi village.