Armed bandits invade military base in Sokoto killing many soldiers

Armed bandits have invaded a joint military camp code-named ‘Burkusuma camp’ in Sabon Birni local government area of Sokoto, killing many soldiers of the Nigerian Army.

The bandits also killed three Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) operatives in the attack.

The bandits were said to have shot four villagers in Katsira, two of whom immediately died and two others receiving treatment at the hospital.

Multiple sources said the bandits who stormed the base in large numbers shot from different directions in the early hours of last Friday.

The number of people killed in the attack was unclear as of the time of filing this report.

A former chairman of Sabon Birni, Idris Muhammad Gobir, explained that a resident of Burkusuma who accessed mobile telecommunications service from the Niger Republic informed them of the attack.

The attack came days after the state government shut down telecommunication networks in 14 local government areas to check banditry.

Several persons were confirmed missing. Also, two patrol vehicles were burnt, another one was commandeered by the bandits who also stole food items from villagers.

The spokespersons for the state police, Sanusi Abubakar and the Nigerian Army Onyema Nwachukwu, did not respond to separate requests seeking to know the casualty figure.

A similar incident occurred earlier this month in Zamfara, a neighbouring state, after bandits struck a forward operating base in Mutumji, Dansadau, about 80 kilometres south of the capital Gusau, killing 12 personnel comprising nine Nigerian Air Force officers, two police officers, and one Nigerian Army soldier.