Tuesday, July 28, 2026 -No fewer than four people were k!lled and several others injured when suspected bandits dressed in military uniforms attacked Unguwan Lalke community in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The attack, which began at about 8 p.m. on Sunday, July 26,
2026 reportedly lasted until 2 a.m. on Monday, during which the assailants
looted homes and shops and rustled an unspecified number of residents.
Residents said the attackers operated for nearly six hours
despite the presence of security personnel in the area earlier in the day.
The attackers also looted homes and shops and rustled an
unspecified number of livestock during the late-night raid, residents said.
They told Daily Trust that the heavily armed assailants,
estimated to be about 200, stormed the community from different directions,
initially deceiving residents into believing they were security personnel.
“We thought they were soldiers because they were wearing
military uniforms. They surrounded the village, opened fire on anyone trying to
escape, ransacked our homes, carted away our livestock and looted goods from
our shops,” a resident said.
The victims were identified as Bilyaminu Wakkala and Danbaki
Tulunawa, while the two other deceased were residents of nearby Kongurus
village.
According to residents, the two usually spent the night in
Unguwan Lalle due to persistent insecurity in their community before returning
home during the day.
Residents said the attack occurred less than an hour after
troops who had earlier responded to a separate bandit attack withdrew from the
village.
According to a resident, the military had arrived in two
armoured vehicles after bandits allegedly k!lled a farmer earlier in the day.
“The soldiers responded quickly and stayed in the village
until about 8 p.m. before returning to their base. Just a few minutes after
they left, the bandits came back wearing military uniforms,” he said.
He added that the attackers struck while residents were
observing the Isha prayer, avoiding the main road where a military checkpoint
was located.
“They entered through other routes and positioned some of
their men with RPGs at strategic locations. The first victim was a motorcycle
rider, followed by three others who tried to flee. They searched our houses
repeatedly and even threatened to shoot my mother when she came out of her
room,” the resident recounted.
The spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP
Ahmad Rufa’i, confirmed the k?lling of a farmer in the area but said he had not
been briefed on the reported attack on the community.
“I have received a report confirming the k!lling of one
person in the area on Sunday. However, I have not yet been briefed about the
other reported attack on the community."
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