Suspected Bandits Kidnap Nine Residents, Take 200-Plus Livestock in Sokoto

Suspected bandits attacked Illelar Dawagari community in Kagara Ward, Goronyo Local Government Area, Sokoto State, kidnapping nine residents, shooting one person and stealing over 200 head of livestock. According to accounts, the assailants entered the community around 8:30 p.m. Saturday and carried out the raid until about 11 p.m. A resident said the person shot, Saminu Arzika, had stepped outside the community to defecate when he spotted the shadows of the attackers. The resident said Arzika directed his torch at them and saw armed men. When he tried to shine the light on them a second time, the attackers allegedly gave an order that he should be shot. Arzika reportedly ran back toward the community, but was chased and shot. The gunshot alerted other residents, and many fled into surrounding bushes to seek safety. The resident said he had just finished eating and had gone out to purchase medicine, then stopped at another shop for a drink, when he heard the shot. He said he ran immediately, climbed over the walls of multiple houses and reached the bush. During the raid, the attackers allegedly went from house to house and rustled more than 200 livestock. Nine residents were also reported abducted, including five males and four females. The resident named some of those taken as Maryam Yusuf, Rukayya Abdu and a widow, Maryam Abdullahi. He said the other victims were children aged 10 to 15 whose names he did not know. He also said another resident had already been held by abductors before the latest attack. According to him, the victim's family paid a N1 million ransom, but the kidnappers were allegedly demanding a Bajaj motorcycle before releasing him. Sokoto State Police Command spokesperson DSP Ahmad Rufai was contacted about the attack and said he would make enquiries and provide details. He had not responded as of the time of the original report. Kagara Ward has experienced repeated security incidents in recent months. In June, the chief imams of Dawagari and Kuda-Kuda villages were reportedly killed, and several residents were abducted.