In a brazen attack this weekend, bandits ambushed soldiers patrolling the Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State, claiming the lives of four soldiers and leaving others injured.
The ambush to place along the Kukurau-Bangi road, where the assailants not only opened fire on the unsuspecting troops but also set two of their patrol vehicles ablaze.
Yahya Gudu, the local representative in the state House of Assembly, confirmed the shocking incident. “Yes, it’s true. Gunmen ambushed soldiers on Saturday, killing four and injuring two. They also burned their patrol vehicles,” he reported.
The attack has sent ripples of fear through the community, with Gudu conveying the disheartening news to Governor Ahmed Aliyu, who promptly dispatched reinforcements to the area.
A local resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, recounted the terrifying scene as the bandits roared through their community on 20 motorcycles, each carrying two heavily armed criminals.
“They didn’t touch or kidnap anyone in our neighborhood; they just passed through. Then we heard the gunshots,” he said.
“As we later learned, they had laid an ambush for the patrolling soldiers, resulting in four fatalities. Their bodies were eventually recovered by their comrades.”
He recounted a more sinister context, revealing that just a week prior, the same bandits had taken the lives of seven individuals in their community while pursuing vigilantes.
“They remain hidden in the bush nearby, meeting daily by a stream to discuss their plans. We’ve informed security forces about their presence, but our calls for help have gone unanswered. Perhaps it’s because the bandits are now armed with more sophisticated weapons,” he lamented.
