Council chairman escapes bandit attack in Sokoto village

By Musa Ubandawaki

Sokoto—Tension yesterday, gripped the residents of Kalanjeni village in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State, as armed bandits stormed the village in a broad daylight narrowly missing the council chairman, Isah Kalanjeni.

The chairman, a former two term member of the National Assembly, was said to have departed his residence just minutes before the assailants struck.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic and terrifying, with villagers fleeing in all directions to escape the hail of gunfire.

“It was like a movie. They came on over 30 motorcycles, shooting into the air,” said a resident, who asked not to be named for security reasons.

“We thank God the chairman left earlier, or else they would have taken him.”

Sources close to the chairman told our correspondent that his sudden departure was unplanned and spontaneous, a twist of fate that may have saved his life as his current whereabouts remain undisclosed for safety reasons.

Kalanjeni village, located less than 40 kilometers from Sokoto, the state capital, has not been immune to the growing wave of insecurity plaguing the region.

Tangaza is one of 13 local government areas in Sokoto State under siege of banditry, with frequent cases of kidnapping, cattle rustling, and arson.

Eyewitness accounts suggest that the attackers, after failing to find their likely target, turned their wrath on the villagers, rustling dozens of livestock and vandalizing properties.

“They carted away our cows and goats. We are left with nothing,” said Mallam Abdullahi, a local herder, who added that despite multiple distress calls to security operatives, help reportedly arrived late.Villagers accused the authorities of neglect and called for urgent government intervention to safeguard lives and properties.

“We keep reporting, but nothing is done until it’s too late,” lamented a youth leader in the village. “Are we not citizens”.The attack has sparked fresh concerns over the security lapses in Sokoto’s rural communities. Local leaders and advocacy groups have called on both state and federal governments to declare a state of emergency in the affected areas.

Reacting to the incident, Sokoto State Police Command spokesperson, Ahmad Rufa’i, confirmed the attack but declined to provide details.

“Our men and Army have been deployed to the area and after heavy fighting, the bandits retreat and abandoned most of the rustled Animals. Investigation is ongoing,” he said.

The people of Kalanjeni remain on edge, with many families seeking refuge in neighbouring communities and schools mosques have opened their doors to displaced villagers, while community organise informal patrols at night.
“We are tired. We want peace. We want to live,” pleaded an elderly woman.

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