Gunmen Kill Cleric, Abduct Residents in Sokoto Village Attack

The attackers also struck Gidan Kare village in Tureta Local Government Area of the state, killing an Islamic cleric, Mallam Abubakar Danjimme, and abducting an unspecified number of residents. The Sokoto State Police Command confirmed the two attacks, with its spokesperson, DSP Ahmed Rufai, saying details of the Gidan Kare incident were still being gathered as of the time of filing this report. In Gorau, the village head, Alhaji Aliyu Magaji Na-Batsami, said 11 residents were shot during the attack, with seven surviving and four others killed instantly.

He said the attackers allegedly targeted families who lost relatives in the recent boat tragedy, apparently in search of the N1 million relief money reportedly given to each bereaved family by the Sokoto State Government. They went from house to house searching for the money. Their main target appeared to be families of those who died in the boat accident, Magaji said. The attack occurred after Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, alongside the Deputy Governor, Mohammed Idris Gobir, and other government officials and APC chieftains, visited the community to commiserate with families of the victims on behalf of Governor Ahmed Aliyu.