…the gunmen, armed with sophisticated weapons, arrived on seven motorcycles and opened fire to disperse villagers.
SOKOTO, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Gunmen have abducted five residents, including two heavily pregnant women, following an attack on Maiwa Village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
A local source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the assailants stormed the community at about 5 p.m. on Saturday.
According to him, the gunmen, armed with sophisticated weapons, arrived on seven motorcycles and opened fire to disperse villagers.
“They met us at the mosque, and immediately they fired shots into the air, I ran towards nearby police officers,” he said.
“But the officers also fled their post when two of the bandits chased after me on motorcycles.
“After I managed to escape, the gunmen returned to the village, went from house to house, and abducted the victims,” he added.
The abducted persons were identified as Sadiya Umar, Firdausi Umar, Maryam Musa, Ubaida Musa, and Harira Nura.
The source further revealed that Sadiya and Ubaida are heavily pregnant and due to deliver soon.
He also noted that the attackers rustled 12 cows during the raid but later abandoned them.
In the aftermath of the incident, several residents reportedly fled to neighbouring Niger Republic but returned on Sunday morning.
Attempts to reach the Sokoto State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or messages as of the time of filing this report.
