Eight farmers killed, five injured in fresh Sokoto attack

No fewer than eight farmers have been killed and five others injured after armed bandits reportedly attacked Gandi community in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The attack occurred on Sunday afternoon and is believed to be linked to recent security operations in the area, during which scores of suspected bandits were reportedly killed by security agencies.

Residents said the attackers stormed the farming community at about 3pm and opened fire on unsuspecting farmers, sending residents scrambling for safety. A local source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the victims were deliberately targeted in what appeared to be a reprisal attack.

“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 circumstances surrounding the attack suggested that the assailants were seeking to avenge the deaths of some of their members during recent security operations in the area.

“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 heightened fears among residents of Gandi and neighbouring communities, where farmers have increasingly faced threats from armed groups operating in parts of Rabah and adjoining areas.

The incident came amid intensified security operations against bandit groups in Rabah Local Government Area, with security forces reportedly carrying out clearance operations against criminal elements.

The renewed operations were said to have inflicted substantial casualties on the armed groups, forcing some fighters to retreat from areas previously used as hideouts and operational corridors.

The spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed that the command was aware of the attack when contacted on Sunday evening, but said details were still being gathered.

The latest killings are expected to heighten concerns over the safety of farming communities in the area, particularly as security agencies sustain operations against bandit groups.