By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto
SOKOTO: Armed bandits have launched a deadly reprisal attack on farmers in Gandi community, Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing no fewer than eight people and leaving five others with gunshot wounds.
The bloody assault, which occurred on Sunday afternoon, is believed to be linked to recent security operations in the area in which scores of suspected bandits were reportedly killed by security agencies.
Residents said the attackers descended on the farming community at about 3:00 p.m., opening fire on unsuspecting farmers and throwing the area into panic as people scrambled for safety.
A local source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the assailants deliberately targeted farmers, describing the attack as an apparent revenge mission following heavy casualties suffered by the bandits during recent military and security operations.
“The bandits came around 3:00 p.m. and started shooting at people. No fewer than eight farmers were killed, while at least five others sustained gunshot injuries,” the source said.
The source added that the timing and circumstances of the assault strongly suggested that the attackers were seeking to avenge the deaths of their members during security operations conducted in the area over the past several days.
“We believe this was a retaliatory attack because some members of the group were killed by security personnel in the last few days,” he said.
The latest violence has raised fresh fears among residents of Gandi and neighbouring communities, where farmers have increasingly become vulnerable to armed groups operating across parts of Rabah and adjoining areas.
The incident is particularly significant coming on the heels of intensified security operations against bandit groups in Rabah Local Government Area, where security forces have recently mounted aggressive clearance operations against criminal elements.
The renewed campaign had reportedly inflicted substantial casualties on the armed groups, forcing some of their fighters to retreat from areas previously used as hideouts and operational corridors.
However, Sunday’s attack underscores the potentially dangerous consequences of weakened bandit networks seeking to retaliate against security forces and communities perceived to be vulnerable or sympathetic to government operations.
The spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed that the command was aware of the attack when contacted by our correspondent on Sunday evening, but said details were still being gathered.
The fresh killings have further intensified pressure on security agencies to sustain offensive operations against the bandits while preventing vulnerable farming communities from becoming targets of reprisal attacks.
For residents of Gandi, the latest bloodshed has once again brought the brutal reality of rural insecurity to their doorsteps, threatening livelihoods and deepening fears among farmers who depend on the land for survival.
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