Armed persons have abducted many people in two days of attacks on communities in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto state on Friday and Saturday.
Two people were also killed in one of the attacks.
The Friday attack, PREMIUM TIMES gathered, occurred before the arrival of a presidential delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, in the area while the Saturday attack occurred after the delegation had left.
The delegation had told Governor Aminu Tambuwal that the federal government would flush out banditry kingpins in Sokoto and other states. Similar promises by President Muhammadu Buhari and other officials of his administration are, however, yet to materialise.
Chief Imam’s abduction
Basharu Guyawa, coordinator of Rundunar Adalci, who is also a native of the area, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that the Chief Imam of the Izala (Sunni) mosque in Gatawa, Aminu Garba, was abducted in the Friday attack.
“He was not even allowed to lead the prayers before they took him away. That was what happened on Friday and up to now that I am telling this, his family or anybody has not heard from the bandits. So, we are all waiting for them to contact the family,” Mr Guyawa, a human rights activist, said.
The bandits also returned to Gatawa Saturday morning and abducted three more residents but later released one.
“The one they released, Musan Barau, was sent with a phone number and asked to give it to the abducted residents’ families to gather ransom. They even told him where they want the family to meet when they finally gather the ransom money,” Mr Guyawa added.
Credit: premiumtimesng.com
