Twenty two have been killed by bandits who attacked Gangara village of Sabin Birni Local Government of Sokoto State.
The incident occurred on Thursday.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Muhammad Abubakar Sadiq, speaking on the incident, said the bandits in their hundreds attacked the community on motorcycles, shooting sporadically.
He disclosed that upon receipt of information on the attack, joint Operation Puff Adder and military patrol teams were dispatched to the scene, adding that the efforts made by the bandits to ambush the response team were unsuccessful due to strategic response of the team.
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He said: “After a fierce gun duel, the bandits retreated and escaped into the forest with gunshot wounds, while one of them was shot dead.
”Unfortunately, 22 bodies were discovered to have been victims of the sporadic shooting by the bandits on arrival in the village.”
He said that the Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Sani Ka’oje had since directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department to lead the investigation into the attack.
The police commissioner also commiserated with the families of the deceased and the state government, vowing to bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to book.
He also called for stronger community partnership in policing the state.
