…Seek urgent security overhaul after deadly Sokoto attacks
…Police foil fresh terror attack, recover 25 rustled cattle
By Musa Ubandawaki
SOKOTO — Former Governor of Sokoto State and Senator representing Sokoto South Senatorial District, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and the Governorship Candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in the state, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, have raised fresh alarm over the worsening insecurity in Sokoto following renewed deadly attacks on communities in Tureta Local Government Area.
The two political leaders separately condemned the recent attacks on Dan Gulbi community, where more than 20 persons were reportedly killed by terrorists who stormed the area on motorcycles, shooting indiscriminately, razing homes and forcing residents to flee.
The latest assault came barely 48 hours after an earlier attack allegedly claimed the lives of 17 residents and visitors who had returned home for the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
In a statement, Tambuwal described the killings, destruction of property and displacement of residents as a tragic reminder of the worsening security crisis confronting communities across the North-West.
“These repeated attacks on innocent citizens are painful, unacceptable and constitute a direct assault on the peace, security and stability of our communities,” Tambuwal said.
He stressed that the tragedy in Dangulbi underscored the urgent need for renewed and coordinated security interventions across the Sokoto-Zamfara axis and other vulnerable areas facing persistent threats from banditry and violent criminality.
According to him, no society can achieve meaningful development when citizens are constantly exposed to violence, displacement and uncertainty. “Our people deserve to live in safety and pursue their livelihoods without fear. Protecting lives and property remains the primary responsibility of government, and every necessary measure must be taken to secure our communities,” he added.
Tambuwal condoled with families of victims, prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and called for immediate humanitarian support for displaced residents.
He also urged security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering, surveillance operations and rapid response mechanisms to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities.
Similarly, ADC governorship candidate, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, described the recurring violence as a national tragedy demanding immediate and decisive action.
“The continued killing of innocent citizens in Dan Gulbi is heartbreaking and unacceptable. No society can make meaningful progress when its people live in constant fear of attacks, displacement and loss,” Dan’iya stated.
He argued that the repeated targeting of vulnerable communities highlighted the need for a comprehensive review of the nation’s security architecture, improved intelligence gathering, stronger inter-agency collaboration and enhanced protection for rural populations affected by banditry.
“The people deserve more than promises. They deserve visible action, reassurance and a clear demonstration that every life matters,” he said.
Dan’iya noted that the persistent attacks had heightened anxiety among residents, disrupted economic activities and worsened humanitarian challenges across affected communities.
Meanwhile, .the operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU, and Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State Police Command in collaboration with other security agencies, foiled a terror attack in Tureta Local Government Area and recovered 25 rustled cattle.
The operation, according to the Command, reinforced ongoing efforts to curb rural insecurity across the North-West region.
Police said the operation was carried out on June 2 following a distress call reporting that heavily armed bandits had invaded Imasa Matankari village, a remote settlement bordering Zamfara State. The attackers reportedly fired sporadically and made away with 25 cows belonging to villagers.
Police authorities said the Officer Commanding the VCRU immediately mobilised a joint security team comprising Anti-Kidnapping operatives and personnel from the Army Forward Operating Base, who swiftly moved to the scene and blocked all possible escape routes.
The Command disclosed that security operatives engaged the criminals in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to abandon the stolen livestock and flee into the nearby Kuruwa Forest.
“Following a sustained exchange of fire, the bandits were overpowered and fled in disarray, abandoning all 25 rustled cattle. The recovered animals have since been returned to their rightful owners,” the Police said in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police.
