The joint patrol team of police and members of Sokoto Community Guards successfully foiled a banditry attack on a commercial vehicle at Kwanar Mahalba, along Goronyo-Sabon Birni road, Wednesday evening.
According to the source, seven of the thirteen passengers in the vehicle were rescued, five ran into the bush, and the remaining one was shot dead by the bandits.
Receiving the rescued victims in his office, the deputy governor, Alhaji Idris Mohammed Gobir, commended the joint patrol team’s effort for a job well done.
Gobir appreciated that the joint patrol team had rescued 63 victims from bandits within the last four days.
He said the figure breakdown showed that 24 victims were rescued last Sunday, 39 on Monday, and seven were rescued today.
He assured that the state government would continue to provide all the necessary support and assistance to the joint patrol teams and other security personnel to eliminate banditry in the state.
He said, “Governor Ahmed Aliyu has ordered that anything requested to ensure the security of lives and properties of people in the state must be provided immediately.
“Furthermore, efforts were being intensified by the State Government in collaboration with the Federal Government to tackle the activities of Lakurawa terrorists.
“As such, security is being beefed up in areas known to have members of Lakurawa.”
In an interview with one of the rescued victims, Malam Umar Isa Magajin Gatarawa said, “We were travelling from Isa to Sokoto when suddenly armed bandits emerged and blocked the road along Kwanar Mahalba.
“When the driver of the vehicle attempted to escape, the bandits fired at the tyres.
“While the passengers took to their heels into the bush to escape, the joint patrol team, which had been moving from one place to another, arrived, and the intensity of the exchange of fire forced the bandits to run away.
“Unfortunately, one of the passengers died from a gunshot in the crossfire.”
