Bandits reportedly kidnapped an unidentified number of Tsangaya pupils in Gidan Bakuso, Gada local government region, Sokoto state.
This comes less than 48 hours after another group of bandits kidnapped over 280 students and teachers from Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School in Kuriga, Kaduna State on Thursday, causing nationwide outrage.
According to reports, the students were stolen from their school about 1 a.m. on Saturday.
Liman Abubakar, the school’s proprietor, informed our reporter that 15 children had yet to be accounted for, but “we are still counting.”
According to Abubakar, the bandits stormed the town about 1 a.m., shooting one person and kidnapping a lady.
“As they were leaving the town, they noticed our kids racing into their rooms and grabbed some of them.
“We have so far counted 15 who are missing and we are still searching for more,” he told reporters.
Abubakar noted that this was not the first time the hamlet had been attacked by bandits.
Kabiru Dauda, a member of the state House of Assembly representing the Gada-East Constituency, confirmed the incident and stated that he received a phone from the village about 2 a.m. informing him that it had been invaded by bandits.
“I reached out to the local government authorities and security agencies and I am sure they are doing something about it,” he went on to say.
Our reporter also learned that bandits attacked and killed three people in Turba village, Isa Local Government Area of the state, including the village head.
Habibu Modachi, a member of the Isa Constituency, verified the occurrence and suspected it was retaliation for security forces raiding bandits’ hideouts two days before.
ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, said he was unaware of the development but will call the Divisional Police Officers in the local government areas and get back to our reporter.
The raid occurred at a time when the state’s Community Guards Corps, an initiative launched by the state government to combat banditry, was being phased out.