At least 30 persons were killed when bandits attacked a market in the eastern part of Sokoto state yesterday.
Traders and buyers at Goronyo weekly Market in Goronyo Local Government Area of the state, were reportedly killed in the incident.
“We’re not sure of the (death toll) figure. But it is 30 something,” the state government spokesman, Muhammad Bello, said in a statement.
Bandits raided another village market on October 8, in Sabon Birni district near the border with Niger, killing 19 people.
Since last month, Nigerian troops have been conducting air and ground operations on bandit camps in neighbouring Zamfara State.
Telecom services have also been shut down to disrupt communication between the gangs.
Officials in Sokoto are worried that bandits are relocating to the state as a result of those operations and network disruptions.
“We’re faced and bedeviled by many security challenges in our own area here, particularly banditry, kidnapping and other associated crimes,” wrote Bello, on behalf of the state governor.
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, he said, had requested “the presence of more forces in the state and the deployment of more resources”.
(AFP)
