Several Bandits Feared Killed as Security Forces Repel Attack in Sokoto

Nigerian military troop

Several Bandits Feared Killed as Security Forces Repel Attack in Sokoto

Military troops and police successfully defended Sifawa town in Bodinga Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Wednesday, repelling an attempted attack by armed bandits. Several assailants are feared dead following a prolonged gun battle that lasted hours, while two soldiers sustained injuries and were evacuated for treatment. The attack, which occurred around 10:00 am, saw heavily armed bandits storming the community from Horo village in neighbouring Shagari Local Government Area. The assailants reportedly attempted to overrun the military barracks in Sifawa, triggering a fierce response from stationed soldiers and police personnel.

According to a resident who spoke on condition of anonymity, the confrontation lasted for several hours before security forces succeeded in forcing the attackers to retreat. During the intense exchange, two soldiers were injured and immediately evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment. The resident further stated that several of the bandits were believed to have been killed during the encounter, while others managed to flee through the surrounding millet farms.

The President of the Sifawa Development Forum, Dr Abubakar Boyi, who confirmed the attack, suggested that the assailants may have been drawn by large herds of livestock brought into the town by villagers displaced by banditry in Shagari. Boyi explained that there was a significant concentration of livestock in Sifawa, which may have attracted the attackers. However, a security source countered this claim, insisting that the military barracks was the primary target. The source revealed that the bandits wanted to overrun the barracks but were overpowered, and confirmed that two soldiers were injured and taken to the hospital for treatment.

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Following the ground engagement, military aircraft were deployed to the surrounding bushes where the fleeing bandits were believed to have taken cover. The security source added that air strikes were currently ongoing in the bushes where the bandits fled, and expressed confidence that several of them had been killed. The source further indicated that a mop-up operation would be conducted after the air strikes were completed. The development has heightened anxiety among residents and farming communities around Sifawa, prompting public announcements directing farmers whose millet farms are located along the frontline to immediately harvest their crops and vacate areas considered vulnerable to the ongoing military engagement.

The clash significantly disrupted movement along the Sifawa-Birnin Kebbi road, leaving motorists stranded for hours as security personnel responded to the attack. A motorist, Jamilu, described the harrowing experience, recounting how travellers were stranded at Yabo Junction for hours as the road leading to Kebbi was blocked. He noted that the sounds of heavy gunfire created widespread fear, forcing many to abandon their original route and seek alternative paths.

Sifawa holds strategic importance, being the hometown of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya (retd.), and the Sokoto State Secretary to the Government, Bello Sifawa. The community, located approximately 20 kilometres from Sokoto metropolis, has remained strategically significant in the security architecture of the area due to its proximity to farming settlements vulnerable to bandit attacks. As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to officially confirm the number of casualties among the bandits or security personnel. However, the Sokoto State Police Command, through its spokesperson DSP Ahmed Rufa’i, confirmed the incident and stated that combat-ready personnel had been mobilised to support the military and strengthen security in Sokoto metropolis and its environs. The situation remains fluid, with security forces maintaining active operations to prevent criminal elements from advancing into vulnerable communities.