Bandits Kill Village Head, Son, Five Others in Fresh Sokoto Attack

• At least seven people, including a village head and his eldest son, have been killed in fresh bandit attacks in Sokoto State.

A fresh wave of bandit attacks has left at least seven people dead in Sokoto State, including the Village Head of Kulodo in Bodinga Local Government Area, Alhaji Abubakar Tudu, his eldest son, and five other residents, as growing insecurity sparked protests by angry youths.

According to local sources, the attack occurred while residents were observing the Asr prayer. Armed bandits reportedly stormed Kulodo and the neighbouring Kwance village on motorcycles, opening fire indiscriminately and throwing the communities into panic.

Among those killed in Kulodo were the village head, his eldest son Abubakar Abubakar, Rufa’i Bala, Muhammad Sanusi and Aliyu Dan-Uti, while another resident, Yellow Dikko, was reportedly killed in Kwance village.

A security source said the attackers invaded the communities in large numbers before carrying out the deadly assault.

“The bandits invaded the communities in large numbers and immediately began shooting. They killed the village head, his eldest son and four other residents before moving to the neighbouring village, where they also killed another person,” the source said.

Beyond the killings, the attackers reportedly made away with a large number of livestock. The source explained that the gunmen forced local herders to drive the stolen cattle while they escorted them on motorcycles.

“They were mainly after animals. They forced local herders to drive the stolen cattle while they escorted them on motorcycles. The herders later told us the livestock were taken to a forest in Zamfara State before they were released to return home,” the source added.

The attack has also forced many women and children to flee Kulodo and Kwance, leaving the communities largely deserted.

“The situation is devastating. Virtually all the women and children have fled, leaving behind only a few men,” the source said after accompanying state government officials and lawmakers on a condolence visit.

The latest killings came barely 24 hours after bandits reportedly killed the Chief Imam of Talluje village and two other residents in another attack within Bodinga Local Government Area, deepening fears over the worsening security situation in the area.

Meanwhile, frustration over the repeated attacks boiled over on Friday as scores of youths blocked the busy Sokoto–Jega highway in protest.

The protesters lit bonfires on the road, bringing traffic to a standstill for several hours before security operatives dispersed the crowd.

Residents said the demonstration began around 8:00 a.m., shortly after a rainfall, with protesters accusing authorities of failing to protect communities from relentless bandit attacks.

During the protest, the Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Hon. Tukur Bala Bodinga, was reportedly prevented from passing through the highway, while the windscreen of his official vehicle was allegedly smashed by some protesters.

A resident, Alhaji Abubakar Bodinga, later confirmed that calm had returned following the deployment of security personnel, adding that the Speaker, the Secretary to the State Government and other officials were visiting affected communities to sympathise with victims of the attacks.

Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Sokoto State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesperson, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, did not respond to calls at the time of filing the report.