By Ado Hasan, Sokoto
A group of armed bandits in their numbers stormed Gangara village in Sabon Birni local government of Sokoto state and attacked and killed no fewer than 22 persons.
Similarly, no fewer than 21 had been injured in the dastardly attack by the bandits.
The attack which occurred at about 16:30pm according to the the state police command image maker, DSP Abubakar Sadiq in a statement issued Thursday evening said the armed bandit stormed the village on motorbikes.
According to Sadiq, “Upon receipt of information, joint Operation Puff Adder and Military patrol teams were drafted to the scene. Efforts were made by the bandits to ambush the response team but were unsuccessful, due to strategic response of the team to the laid ambush.
“After a fierce gun duel, the bandits retreated and escaped into the forest with gunshot injuries while one bandit was shot dead.
“However, unfortunately, 22 bodies were discovered to have been victims of sporadic shooting embarked upon by the bandits on arrival,” the statement read.
In the same vein, the statement said the Mr Ibrahim Sani Ka’oje , the state Commissioner of Police had directed an immediate investigation be carried out by DC SCID on the incidence which left residents in the village in fears and tension even as families of the dead were in mourning mood.