Gunmen Strike in Sokoto, Leaving 7 Dead, Including 5 Community Guards

In a devastating attack, gunmen suspected to be bandits struck Karfen Sarki Village in Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing seven people, including five members of the recently established state community guards and two local farmers.

The Sole Administrator of Gudu LGA, Hon. Umar Maikano Balle, confirmed the tragic incident on Tuesday. According to Balle, the victims were ambushed by the gunmen while on patrol, as they attempted to track the movements of a bandit group reportedly operating from a camp in the area.

“The gallant efforts of our community guards had significantly curtailed gunmen’s periodic attacks until now, when they were taken by surprise, resulting in the loss of five of their members,” Balle stated.

This is not the first time the region has experienced such violence. In 2019, suspected bandits gruesomely killed the District Head of Balle, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, following a dispute involving his brother and the suspected group.

The seven victims of this latest attack have been buried according to Islamic rites.

Gudu Local Government is one of the 13 council areas in Sokoto State plagued by banditry and other criminal activities. The area’s proximity to Niger Republic has made it a hotspot for cattle rustling and cross-border attacks.

In 2020, the region gained notoriety when Malian jihadist leader Lakuruje took control, imposing taxes and enforcing Sharia law in the rural communities. It took a concerted effort by the military, police, and Department of State Services (DSS) to dislodge Lakuruje’s group from the forests of Gudu.

Reports from that period indicated that the jihadists were initially invited by local Fulani communities seeking protection from escalating cattle rustling and banditry. After expelling the bandits, the jihadists established their own rule, turning the area into a stronghold.

The former administration of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal invested over 1.7 billion naira to construct a boarding secondary school in Balle, the headquarters of Gudu LGA. However, due to ongoing insecurity, the school remains abandoned and non-functional. Gudu is the only local government area among the 774 in Nigeria still without a functional boarding secondary school, with efforts to establish one continually thwarted by persistent cross-border crimes and violence.