Bandits raided Gorau community in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Wednesday night, killing four people and abducting four others. The attack came just six days after a boat accident claimed 65 lives in the same area.
The gunmen specifically targeted households that had received the N1 million relief payment announced by the state government for families of the boat victims. They went from house to house, breaking into rooms and demanding to know where the money had been kept.
Eleven residents were shot during the raid. Four of them — Bashar Sani, Ila Malam Makeri, Isa Ibrahim and Ali Aminu — died on the spot. The other seven were rushed to hospital with serious injuries. Four people were also taken away by the bandits.
The village head, Alhaji Aliyu Magaji Na-Batsami, said the attackers came because of the compensation money. He credited the quick arrival of security forces in four vehicles for preventing further casualties as they chased the gunmen away.
Less than a week earlier, a boat carrying many children from the community had capsized, killing 65 people. The state government responded by pledging one million naira to each affected family and distributing grains as relief.
The latest attack has raised fresh fears about the safety of the grieving families and the security of the money given to them.
