Nine Abducted In Sokoto During Late Night Rural Bandit Attack

In Sokoto State's Sabon Birni local government area, armed bandits assaulted the Tarah hamlet, kidnapping nine individuals and wounded one.

Residents say the incident happened just days after members of the village’s vigilante group were reassigned to Katsira, leaving Tarah more exposed than usual. The timing alone has raised concerns about how quickly gaps in local security can be exploited, especially during periods of repeated rural bandit attacks across the region.

According to community members, local youths rallied almost immediately after the gunmen arrived. Their response wasn’t enough to stop the abductions, but it likely prevented a more severe outcome. In moments like that, people don’t think too much; they just move. And sometimes that instinctive pushback makes all the difference.

The Sokoto State Police Command, through DSP Ahmad Rufai, confirmed that the Divisional Police Officer in Sabon Birni had not yet submitted a detailed briefing on the rural bandit attack. Authorities say updates will follow once the full situation is assessed and documented.

The tension in Sabon Birni isn’t new. Communities across Sokoto have been dealing with recurring rural bandit attacks for years, and each incident exposes how fragile safety becomes when security coverage shifts even slightly.