Some residents of Sabon Birni local government area of Sokoto State has disclosed that gunmen suspected to be armed bandits have allegedly attacked a joint military base codenamed “Burkusuma camp’ located in their local government, and in the process killed an unspecified number of military personnel.
Villagers and security sources who spoke with our correspondent confirmed that the attack took place in the early hours of Friday.
According to the sources, the bandits arrived in large numbers and began shooting at the camp from all sides.
A military source who requested anonymity reported a large number of suspected bandits were murdered when a military base in Sokoto Eastern Senatorial District was attacked.
The insider could not confirm whether the military camp in question is the same as the Burkusuma camp in Sabo Birni local government, which is also in the Eastern Senatorial District of the state.
Reacting, Idris Muhammad Gobir, known as Danchadi, who is a former chairman of Sabon Birni local government, revealed to newsmen that the Burkusuma camp had been attacked and that numerous security officers were still missing.
He said the marauding bandits also burnt down two patrol vehicles and carted away another one which was used to convey food items stolen from the villagers.
The information of the attack, according to the former chairman, was validated by a resident of Burkusuma who used a mobile telecommunication service from the Niger Republic.
Also, a prominent traditional ruler in the area confirmed that some vehicles were sent to evacuate the corpses of the fallen heroes.
He said over 10 trucks conveying armed military personnel are currently in the forest trailing the bandits.
Also speaking, personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps who sought anonymity confirmed to our reporter that three of their colleagues were among the casualties.
It was learnt that the bandits also attacked Katsira village and shot four persons.
Two of the victims were said to have died instantly while the remaining two are receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
The bandits were also said to have abducted another three persons from the village.
The spokesman of the 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major Yahaya Ngulde could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report.
Similarly, the Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Sanusi Abubakar said he was not aware of the attack.
Confirming the development, the state Commissioner for Carriers and Security Matters, Colonel Garba Moyi (rtd) confirmed the attack on the military base but that he was not sure of the number of casualties.
