No fewer than 12 persons, including one woman with her two kids, were allegedly killed by suspected armed gunmen in Kurya village, Rabbah Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
A resident of the community, Yusuf Kurya, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, confirmed the tragic incident.
He said those killed included a woman, her two children and her daughter-in-law, all of whom were burnt alive by the gunmen.
“The incident happened on Sunday night at about 8:30 pm when the gunmen stormed our village in large numbers shooting sporadically.
“They killed about 12 people in the process and burnt four of them alive.
“They also abducted three women in the village while an unspecified number of animals was also rustled in the process.”
He said following a distress call by the residents, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji came to the community, pursued the gunmen and killed some of them.
Confirming the development, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police State Command, Ahmed Rufa’i, said seven people were reportedly killed.
He said details were still being awaited after which the police would issue an official statement on the incident.
When contacted, the Special Adviser to Governor Dr Ahmed Aliyu on Security, Col. Ahmed Usman (retd), said: “We received the report of the attack and immediately contacted the Nigeria Police, to allow them to do their findings. We are awaiting their response to their findings.
“Let me use this opportunity to assure the general public that the Sokoto State government, under the leadership of Dr Ahmed Aliyu, will leave no stone unturned to ensure every part of the state is secured.”