Sokoto – Eleven suspected terrorists were killed in a swift military operation carried out between Saturday night and Sunday in Gatawa, Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
A senior military officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the troops acted after receiving a distress call from personnel stationed in the area following an overnight attack that left five vigilante members dead and another critically injured.
“The reinforcement team, led by a Nigerian Army Major, engaged the attackers in a fierce exchange and overpowered them, neutralising 11 of the suspects,” the officer said. “This operation was part of our immediate response to the attack.”
Local sources said the attackers struck Gatawa community around 1:30 a.m., firing sporadically. Members of the vigilante group attempted to repel the assailants but lost four men instantly, while two others sustained gunshot injuries, one of whom later died in hospital.
Residents further reported that six people, including two married women, two teenage girls, and two young boys, were abducted during the raid. An unspecified number of livestock were also stolen.
The attackers reportedly fled before security operatives arrived, but the military source confirmed that troops tracked them into the bush, leading to the elimination of the 11 suspects early Monday morning.
