Four soldiers were feared killed, on Friday, after suspected bandits attacked Kebbe town in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The bandits, who reportedly arrived in large numbers around 10am, were said to have moved freely around the town, looting shops and carting away mobile phones, food items and petrol.
A resident, who declined to be identified, said the assailants arrived on motorcycles and were armed with sophisticated weapons.
He said, “They came on motorcycles armed with sophisticated guns. I counted over 200 motorcycles. They broke into shops and stole phones, food items and petrol.
“They moved freely in the town and attacked the Divisional Police Headquarters. They also entered the general hospital, where they destroyed the vehicle of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), which was parked inside the premises.
“There was, however, no report of anyone being killed at the police headquarters or among civilians.”
The bandits were also said to have attacked a military base on the outskirts of the town, leading to a fierce gun battle with troops.
Another resident said three soldiers were killed during the confrontation, while a fourth, who was injured and evacuated to hospital, later died.
A security source, who confirmed the incident, said the assailants were believed to have come from Bukuyyum in neighbouring Zamfara State.
The source said intelligence available to security agencies indicated that the bandits were heading towards Kebbi State to confront Lakurawa when they diverted to Kebbe.
The source said, “The attack was terrible. They shot four soldiers; three of them died, while the remaining one was evacuated to the hospital but later died.
“They also destroyed the patrol vehicles of the soldiers at their base and the vehicle of the DPO, which was parked inside the compound of Kebbe General Hospital.”
The attackers were also said to have destroyed one of their motorcycles after it reportedly ran out of fuel before fleeing the town.
The source added that additional troops had been deployed to the area, alongside an Air Force jet, to contain the situation.
“The General Officer Commanding, 8 Division, has personally visited the town to assess the situation,” he said.
Meanwhile, a resident of Tambuwal, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he saw about eight military vehicles heading towards Kebbe.
Earlier, videos showing residents fleeing Kebbe town and crossing a flowing stream surfaced on social media amid the attack.
Confirming the attack, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, described the incident as “terrible” but said the situation had returned to normal.
The police spokesman did not provide details on casualties as of the time of filing this report.
