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At least three people have been killed and several residents abducted after armed bandits attacked Yartsakuwa community in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The assailants also stole livestock during the raid, which took place in the early hours of Sunday, the Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Rufai, confirmed the casualties and abductions in a WhatsApp exchange with Punch correspondent.
“Yes, three killed and also some persons kidnapped and animals rustled,” Rufai said.
A security source who spoke to Punch on the incident similarly reported that the gunmen invaded the community, killed three residents and took an undisclosed number of people hostage. Several livestock were also stolen.
However, a survivor, Najeeb Yartsakuwa, gave a different account of the death toll, reporting that four people, including three men and a woman, were killed.
He also said the attackers stormed his family home and abducted his biological sister, four sisters-in-law and other women from the community.
The total number of people taken away was still unknown, he added.
Yartsakuwa expressed sorrow over the attack and called for prayers for the safe return of the abducted residents, as well as for the deceased and those injured.
While the survivor reported four deaths, the police confirmed three fatalities.
The incident adds to security challenges facing rural communities in Sokoto, where armed groups have carried out attacks involving killings, kidnappings and livestock theft.
In September 2026, Troops under Operation Fansan Yamma recovered a large herd of stolen cattle after intercepting suspected terrorists fleeing Asarara Kaura community in Kebbe Local Government Area.
The troops, acting on intelligence, pursued the suspects along the Tambuwal-Gadaichi-Gummi axis. The armed men exchanged gunfire with the soldiers before retreating into nearby bushes with gunshot wounds, leaving the cattle behind.
