BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto –
Suspected bandits have reportedly invaded a market in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing scores of people.
According to locals, the bandits who stormed the market in their large numbers on Sunday evening, opened fire at any object on sight in the market.
“This happened when people were already preparing to return to their homes” a source said.
Though, there are conflicting reports on the total number of persons killed by the bandits. However some of victims that escaped, said they suspected that no fewer than 80 persons must have been killed by the gunmen.
One of the locals, who claimed to have lost over four relatives, said it was not only a gory sight but also pathetically disturbing.
“As I am talking to you now, most of our people have ran away from Goronyo to take refuge in the metropolis. All our villages are not safe. We have been living in perpetual fears.
“These brutal bandits came at will, kill our loved ones. Rustled our cows, cart away with our food stuffs, rape and whisk away our women and girls uninterrupted”.
Confirming the incident when the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya paid a courtesy visit to The Sokoto Government House, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, said the Army operation in Zamfara State has worsened the security situation in Sokoto lately.
Tambuwal who noted that people were killed in their numbers when bandits stroke on Sunday, appealed to the COAS to reinforce security presence in the state.
At the time of filing this report, the State Police Command spokesperson, ASP Abubakar Sadiq could not pick his call nor respond to text message sent to him in respect of the development.
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