Published 5th Jun, 2023

Three terror attacks aimed at Sokoto, Benue and Zamfara State have claimed 74 Nigerian lives in about 48 hours.

Residents of Janbako and Sakkida villages in Zamfara State told Reuters that armed gangs killed 24 people on Saturday. According to eyewitness reports, the armed terrorists also kidnapped many children in Gora village while they were fetching firewood in a forest.

Hussaini Ahmadu and Abubakar Maradun, both residents of Janbako and Sakkida villages respectively, told Reuters that the armed group had demanded villagers pay a fee to enable them use their farms earlier in the week but villagers had refused. The Zamfara Police Command confirmed the attack.

On Sunday, armed terrorists attacked communities in the Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State and killed 30 people.

Ahmad Rufai, a spokesperson for the Sokoto Police Command, confirmed the gunmen attacked multiple villages in a statement. The police said that the attack was a result of a conflict between a vigilante group and suspected armed bandits.

Rufai said that the vigilante group had gone to Azam village in Tangaza LGA to warn the Fulani community of an impending attack.

“The vigilante members overreacted and ended up beating some villagers who are a predominantly Fulani tribe,” he said.

“Consequently, the villagers called for assistance, and unfortunately the assistance came from armed men suspected to be bandits on board 20 motorcycles.

“On getting the information that assistance was coming, the vigilantes withdrew to their various villages.

“The armed men immediately went after the vigilante members and killed eight in Raka, seven in Bilingawa, six in Jaba, four in Dabagi, three in Raka Dutse, and two in Tsalewa Villages.

“They also set two vehicles and six huts ablaze, while one Bajaj motorcycle was recovered at the scene.”

Another terrorist attack on communities in the Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State cost at least 25 lives.

Witnesses told the press that the attack affected Imande Mbakange community and its neighbouring communities in the Mbacher Council ward of Katsina-Ala LGA.

Other residents sustained injuries and properties were destroyed.

All three terrorist attacks occurred after Bola Tinubu addressed Nigeria’s military chiefs on Thursday.

Tinubu, who was sworn in as Nigeria’s president on May 29, spent two hours briefing the military heads on insecurity.

Nigeria’s insecurity remains a very uncomfortable reality after the May 29 inauguration.

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