Bandits Abduct Nearly 20 Traders in Sokoto Attack

On Wednesday, a group of bandits blocked a market route in Sokoto, abducting nearly 20 individuals, including traders, farmers, and women working nearby. The attack occurred around 10 AM near a weekly market situated close to a bridge, where gunmen on motorcycles opened fire, causing panic among the crowd.

Eyewitnesses reported that the victims were forced onto motorcycles and taken into the forest. Among the abducted was a mother who was the main source of livelihood for her family, as her husband was ill.

The exact number of victims remains unclear, but families are attempting to account for their missing relatives, particularly as the incident coincided with the market day in Sabon Birni. Aminu Boza, a member representing Sabon Birni in the Sokoto State House of Assembly, confirmed the incident but did not provide further details.

Efforts to reach the Sokoto State Police Command for comments were unsuccessful. This incident is part of a troubling wave of insecurity in Sokoto State, with residents reporting cases of mass abduction and violence in recent weeks.