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The police in Sokoto State have confirmed the killing of 11 persons by a vigilance group popularly called Yan Sakai which had been outlawed by the state government due to the group’s alleged excesses.
The vigilantes allegedly raided Mammande, a weekly market in the Gwadabawa Local Government Area of the state on Thursday afternoon.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Abubakar Sanusi, said the police had identified and arrested the perpetrators of the act.
Our correspondent also learnt that many others sustained varying degrees of injury from gunshots and machete cuts.
Those injured, according to a source, were taken to the Orthopaedic Hospital, Wamakko, and the State Specialist Hospital, Sokoto.
No reason was given for the attack but there had been recent killings and abduction in the eastern part of the state allegedly by bandits.
Also confirming the attack, the chairman of the local government, Aminu Aya, said, “The Yan Sakai came from the neighbouring Goronyo Local Government Area but I cannot ascertain whether they were residents of that area or not.
“The Fulani are from the neighbouring communities. They came to the market to buy food items among other things. The incident occurred around 3pm on Thursday when Yan Sakai identified and shot 15 Fulani on the spot. Eleven of them died instantly while four sustained fractures as a result of gunshots injuries they sustained.
“As I speak, we have taken the injured to the Orthopaedic Hospital in Wamakko while the 11 corpses have been deposited at the mortuary.”
