Terrorists Kill Over 60 People In Sokoto Market Attack

Terrorists operating in Sokoto state, Northwest Nigeria, killed and injured dozens of residents on Sunday Oct. 17, at Goronyo market, where agricultural produce is sold. 

Around 5 p.m. (WAT), about 100 terrorists suspected to have links with the notorious terror leader Turji, reportedly stormed the market and began shooting sporadically, killing more than 60 persons and injuring many more. 

Locals said calls placed to the security agents during the attack were unsuccessful due to the mobile network outage affecting the area. This, they said, allowed the assailants to  finish the attack for hours without any resistance. 

According to sources, approximately 62 corpses have been recovered and deposited at the Goronyo General Hospital on Monday. As of the time of  filing this report many victims were unaccounted for. 

HumAngle attempted to contact the Sokoto state command’s Police Public Relations Officer for confirmation of the attack but his phone was not reachable.

The attack was the third in two weeks that armed gangs have attacked a village market in the state. Earlier this month, 20 persons were killed at Ungwan Lalle market in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of the state.

The influx of terrorists into Sokoto from neighbouring Zamfara state prompted authorities in Sokoto to suspend weekly markets and shut down telecom towers in areas on the border with Zamfara, including Sabon Birni.

States in northwestern Nigeria had, due to growing security concerns, shutdown telecommunications activities, banned daily and weekly markets, transportation of livestock, sales of fuel in Jerry cans among other things.

Last month, 17 Nigerian security personnel were killed when terrorists raided their base in Sabon Birni’s Dama village which the military blamed on Islamic State-aligned jihadists.