Banditry: Sokoto Officials clarify rumoured Mosque attack, reveal actual incident

The Chairman of Sabon Birni Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Ayuba Hashimu, has debunked reports claiming that bandits attacked a mosque in the council area and killed an Imam alongside worshippers.

Several online platforms had alleged that armed men stormed a mosque in Sabon Birni, killing the Imam, abducting worshippers and injuring others. But speaking in a telephone interview, Hashimu said no such incident occurred.

“I don’t know any mosque that was attacked, not to talk of killing of an Imam and worshippers. The story is false,” he said.

A member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly representing the area, Hon. Aminu Boza, also refuted the claim, insisting that no mosque came under attack on Saturday.

“I don’t know how they got their story, but it is not true. No mosque was attacked by bandits,” he said.

While both officials denied the viral reports of an attack on a mosque, they confirmed that a separate incident occurred in Gatawa town, also within Sabon Birni LGA, where armed men launched an early-morning assault that left five people dead and one severely injured.

A resident, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said six persons, including two married women, two teenage girls and two young boys, were abducted by the attackers believed to be bandits.

“The bandits invaded our community around 1:30 a.m. and started shooting sporadically. Our vigilantes engaged them, but four of them paid the supreme price on the spot.”

“Two others sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to the hospital, but one later died,” he explained.

He added that the attackers fled with livestock after the raid.

“We heard them exchanging fire with security agents, but none of the abducted persons was rescued,” the resident added.

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