Bandits attack Sokoto police station, kill DPO, DSP

Bandits in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Wednesday night, shot and killed a police DPO and an Inspector, and abducted two married women in Gidanmadi community.

Locals said the bandits first attacked the police station in the community, killed the DPO and an Inspector before they embarked on the kidnap mission. A locale told the BBC Hausa, in an interview, that at about 1a.m., they were woken up by gunshots.

He said: “We knew it was the bandits because a day before, they attacked neighbouring Tangaza, causing serious havoc. They shot sporadically and killed the DPO of Gidanmaji before they abducted the women.” He said a police reinforcement later came to the village from Sokoto with an ambulance and took away the corpses. ASP Mohammed Sadiq, the state command’s PPRO confirmed the attack, saying the Commissioner of Police had visited the village, while investigation had commenced. Another local, who had since migrated to neighbouring Niger Republic, told the BBC Hausa that the Gudu community, near the location of the latest attack, was constantly under siege by the bandits. He said: “Gudu and Tangaza local governments are always under attack by the bandits. On Saturday, the bandits were in Bachaka wielding dangerous weapons. They operated from house to house, from 3a.m. to 5.30a.m. “On Sunday morning they returned to another community and abducted people. They came on Monday and abducted another in Awumgi. “The victims are still in their captivity. I am among the IDPs that fled to Niger Republic,” he added.