Bandits abduct chief imam while preparing to lead prayer session’

The Chief Imam of the Izala (Sunni) mosque in Gatawa, Aminu Garba, in Sabon Birni Local Government Area Sokoto State has been abducted by gunmen, as he was preparing to lead prayer session.

Penpushing reports that, Coordinator of Rundunar Adalci, Basharu Guyawa, who is also a native of the area, confirmed the incident, adding that the Chief Imam, Aminu Garba, was abducted in the Friday attack.

‘He was not even allowed to lead the prayers before they took him away. That was what happened on Friday and up to now that I am telling this, his family or anybody has not heard from the bandits. So, we are all waiting for them to contact the family’, hesaid

Penpushing further reports that, Guyawa, a human rights activist, said the bandits later returned to Gatawa Saturday morning and abducted three more residents but later released one, adding that two people were also killed in one of the attacks.

‘The one they released, Musan Barau, was sent with a phone number and asked to give it to the abducted residents’ families to gather ransom. They even told him where they want the family to meet when they finally gather the ransom money’ Guyawa added.

“These people (bandits) also attacked motorists on Sabon Birni to Gatawa and abducted about seven people. Other villages close to Modachi like Bargaja, Dan Zanke, Lugu and Gazau all witnessed series of attacks in the last two days, so we cannot say this is the actual number of people abducted’, he said.

Penpushing also reports that, the Friday attack, occurred before the arrival of a presidential delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, in the area while the Saturday attack occurred after the delegation had left.

The delegation had assured  Governor Aminu Tambuwal that the Nigerian Government would flush out banditry kingpins in Sokoto and other states, while it is also on record that,similar promises were made  by President Muhammadu Buhari and other officials of his administration, but yet to be fruitful.

Penpushing also reports that, a resident, Danmalam Modachi while narrating the ugly development, as at the time of filing this report said two more people were on admission at a general hospital.

“I hid in our local silos. Wallahi, I could hear the sounds of guns as they went from house to house searching for what to take and some of the people hiding. But as I was hiding inside silos, none of them thought of checking there;he said.

“But we thank God for the Yan Sakai (volunteers) in our town. We help them with working tools and give them financial support and they have been of immense help to us. Even today (Saturday) they were the ones who saved us because they confronted the bandits and chased them away. Two of our people have been killed while others have been taken to the General Hospital,” he said.

Penpushing further reports that, Sokoto State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Sanusi Abubakar,  was as at the time of filing this report, yet to make any official comments or issue out a statement on the incident.

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