Armed bandits have killed at least eight farmers and injured five others in a fresh attack on Gandi community in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The attack, which occurred on Sunday afternoon, was believed to have been carried out in retaliation for recent security operations in the area during which several suspected bandits were reportedly killed.
Residents said the attackers stormed the farming community at about 3 p.m. and opened fire on unsuspecting farmers, forcing residents to flee for safety.
A local source said the attackers deliberately targeted farmers as part of what appeared to be a revenge operation following the 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 said the circumstances surrounding the attack suggested that it was connected to recent operations against the bandits.
“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 incident has heightened fears among residents of Gandi and surrounding communities, where farmers have increasingly become vulnerable to attacks by armed groups.
The attack occurred shortly after intensified security operations against bandits in Rabah Local Government Area.
Security forces have recently carried out clearance operations against criminal elements in the area, reportedly inflicting substantial casualties on the groups and forcing some fighters to retreat from their hideouts and operational routes.
However, Sunday’s attack has raised concerns that weakened bandit groups could resort to reprisal attacks against communities considered vulnerable or supportive of government security operations.
The spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed that the command was aware of the incident but said details were still being gathered.
The latest killings have renewed calls for security agencies to sustain operations against bandit groups while taking additional measures to protect farming communities from retaliatory attacks.
For residents of Gandi, the incident has once again highlighted the dangers confronting rural communities and the growing threat to farming and livelihoods in the area.
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