Tofa village in Rabah Local Government Area lost seven residents and saw 12 people taken after suspected bandits staged an attack in the early hours of Monday.
A security source said the attackers arrived at roughly 1am and stayed for several hours, firing repeatedly during an operation that lasted about four hours. The source also reported that several animals were taken during the raid and that two of the dead were women.
Those identified among the dead include Malam Muhammadu and Jamila Umma. The source named other victims as Danbakanike, Musa Dan Agaji, Masaudu Basiru, Buba Biti and Yar Kuluwa Basiru.
The source listed abducted residents as Shafiu Bello, Bilyaminu Abubakar and Saifullahi Buhari. Others reportedly seized were Hauwau Zayyanu, Saratu Ibrahim, Safiyya Nasi, Zulaiha Aminu, Bilya Abu, Farida Lawali, Yar Kadan Aminu and Kulu Amadu.
The security contact said ten of those taken were later freed by the attackers while they were moving toward their hideout. The source also reported two separate abductions in nearby locations. One of those additional victims was named as Sani Gayya, popularly called Magatakarda Saburu, who was allegedly seized while working on his farm in Saburu village.
As of filing, there was no official statement from the Sokoto State Government or from security agencies about the incident. Local accounts and the security source provided the details of the deaths, abductions and livestock losses.
The attack adds to the pattern of overnight raids on rural communities in the region and leaves families and neighbours grappling with the immediate human toll and the economic impact of stolen animals.
