Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal
Gunmen attack town in Sokoto, kill at least 43 – Gov. Tambuwal confirms
Gunmen have killed at least 43 people in an attack in Sokoto state, on Monday, Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s office confirmed.
The assault began at a weekly market in Goronyo on Sunday and continued into Monday morning, Tambuwal said in a statement.
Iliyasu Abba, a local resident and trader, said there were 60 bodies at Goronyo General Hospital mortuary and that others sustained injuries while escaping.
“The gunmen stormed the market as it was crowded with shoppers and traders,” he said.
The men were ‘shooting sporadically on us after they surrounded the market firing at every direction killing people.’
Abba said the gunmen had at least initially overpowered police who tried to intervene, however, the Sokoto State Command spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had ordered the shutting down of all telephone and internet services in the whole of Zamfara state in early September, a blackout later extended to parts of Katsina, Sokoto and Kaduna states as military operations intensified.
Nigerian military explained that the telecoms blackout would be maintained because it was helping the armed forces crack down on the bandits.
However, the closure has made it hard to know what is happening in the affected areas, and has disrupted daily life and business for millions.
In his statement, Governor Tambuwal requested additional security forces in Sokoto and the deployment of more resources.
