Bandits Kill Eight and Injure One in Sokoto’s Taka Lime Village

The Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed that eight people were killed and another injured in a violent attack by suspected bandits on farming communities in Tangaza Local Government Area.

According to police spokesperson DSP Ahmed Rufai, the attack occurred Tuesday afternoon in Baidi and Sabiyo villages and was carried out by armed men believed to be members of the notorious Lakurawa gang.

“Eight persons were confirmed dead, while one injured victim is receiving treatment at the hospital,” Rufai stated in a WhatsApp message to reporters on Thursday.

Local eyewitnesses reported that the assailants armed with advanced weapons and moving on foot and motorcycles—first struck Baidi village, injuring a resident. They then advanced to Sabiyo, ambushing farmers at work and killing six instantly.

Among the casualties was Aminu Sama’ila, who suffered gunshot wounds to the neck and chest. He was rushed to the Sokoto Specialist Hospital. Another farmer, Usman Sama’ila, remains missing as community volunteers and security teams continue the search.

Eyewitnesses described the attack as indiscriminate and terrifying, with villagers fleeing in panic as gunfire echoed through the fields.

In response, security forces including troops from Operation Fansan Yanma, police units from Gidan-Madi Division, and local vigilantes have intensified patrols along forested routes and border pathways between Nigeria and Niger Republic.

The attack is the latest in a series of violent raids plaguing Sokoto’s border communities, particularly during the agricultural season. Local leaders warn that escalating insecurity may further disrupt farming activities, deepen food insecurity, and force rural populations to abandon their homes.

Authorities have urged residents to remain alert and cooperate with law enforcement by reporting suspicious movements to aid ongoing operations to restore peace in the region.