Bandits Kill Sokoto Chief Imam, Abduct Married Women

The Chief Imam of Kuda-Kuda village in Sokoto State’s Goronyo Local Government Area has been killed by suspected bandits.

Liman Audu, a cleric, was killed along with three others, while others were taken during the raid on Thursday morning.

Villagers reported the attackers entered the town around 12:58 a.m. and stayed for nearly two hours, shooting intermittently, rustling cattle, and forcing villagers to run for safety.

According to a resident who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the sound of gunfire sparked panic across the neighborhood, prompting villagers to leave their homes.

“We were maintaining vigil when we heard gunfire from several places. “We ran home, woke our families, and fled to the outskirts of the village to save our lives,” he explained.

According to him, the attackers moved from home to home, kidnapping occupants, especially married ladies.

“The three injured patients were shot in the chest, with the bullets exiting through their backs. They are currently being treated at a hospital in Sokoto, but we are not hopeful about their chances of survival,” he added.

According to the source, the deceased are Chief Imam Liman Audu, Yahaya Hasanu, Zahara Muazu, and Ibrahim Dayyabu.

Malam Shehu Farar Zaki, Yar Yamma, Khadija, and six other people were allegedly kidnapped.

Another local verified the killings, stating that the attackers first raided the Chief Imam’s home and killed him before approaching three young men and telling them to follow them into the forest.

“After killing the Imam, they approached three teenagers and urged them to follow them. “When the youths refused, the bandits shot and killed them on the spot,” the resident stated.

Residents complained of a lack of security action during the attack, pointing out that the Kuda-Kuda neighborhood had been subjected to recurrent bandit raids in the previous years.

One of the locals stated that the latest event was the 11th attack on the settlement, and expressed alarm about the people’s persistent vulnerability despite repeated requests for security.

Efforts to obtain comments from the Sokoto State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Ahmad Rufai, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Col. Ahmed Usman (Rtd), were futile, as calls, WhatsApp, and text messages sent to them were not returned as of the time of filing this report.

The current attack is one of several violent occurrences in eastern Sokoto State, where residents have repeatedly called for stronger security to protect lives and property.