BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto –
Bandits have killed no fewer than 2 persons in Bageyi village, kidnapped 22 other persons mostly women and displaced thousands of locals from 4 other villages of Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State, sources have confirmed.
The bandits, who stormed the villages shooting sporadically, were said to have taken those kidnapped persons into the bush and were demanding 2 million naira ransom for each according to a family member of one of those killed.
Speaking in tears, the family member, who preferred anonymity, said her relative Abdul Namaiwa was shot dead instantly and the second person that sustained gunshot equally died the next day.
She bitterly placed a curse on their tormentors saying, “Only Allah will judge and punish these killers, our oppressors and enemies of humanity who are now posing as bandits to return us to the Stone age era of slavery”. The traumatized family member sobbed.
Giving details of the incident, a reliable source from the affected area, who preferred to remain anonymous for security reasons, said the villages affected include, Yola, Bageyi, Chiru-dikko, Chiro-Sabongari and Kaurami all in Rabah local government area of Sokoto State.
“As I am talking to you now, we are in serious fears of the unknown. Almost everybody from these affected villages have moved to take refuge in Rara ward of the local government.
“These bandits come at will and take people as slaves while they demand for money that the villagers cannot pay”. He said.
Continuing, the source said, the bandits took 15 persons in the first day of invasion and 7 others on the second day. “They are now demanding that we pay 2 million naira for the release of each of them.
“The relatives of those kidnapped pleaded with the bandits, saying some of those taken to the bush are Almajiris and their Malams.
“”But in brutal display of wickedness, the bandits bluntly said if the villagers will not pay ransom for the Almajiris, then they will kill all of them including the Malam”..
Efforts to speak with the local government caretaker proved unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
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