Key points
- Suspected bandits killed a driver and two others on the Marnona-Isa Road in Sokoto State on Wednesday evening.
- Police confirmed the attack at Kunawa village, Goronyo LGA, but have not named the victims.
- Unconfirmed reports say some passengers may have been among 3,000 state recruits invited for screening.
SOKOTO, Nigeria. Suspected bandits shot and killed a driver and two other people Wednesday evening in an attack on a passenger vehicle along the Marnona-Isa Road in Sokoto State, police said.
The attack happened at Kunawa village in Goronyo Local Government Area, according to the Sokoto State Police Command. Spokesperson DSP Ahmed Rufai confirmed the killings Thursday.
“A driver and two others were killed by bandits at Kunawa village, Goronyo Local Government Area, along the Marnona-Isa Road,” Rufai said.
The victims were reportedly traveling from Sokoto city toward Isa Local Government Area when the assailants intercepted the vehicle and opened fire.
Unconfirmed reports suggested some of the passengers may have been among 3,000 people recruited by the Sokoto State Government. Those recruits had been invited for further screening and to collect their documents. It was not immediately clear whether any of the dead were among them.
Rufai gave no further details on the circumstances of the attack or the identities of the victims at the time the report was filed.
The killings have renewed concerns about the safety of motorists and passengers on roads linking communities in Sokoto State, where persistent security challenges continue in some areas. Residents have kept voicing fears over armed bandits, who have been accused of attacking travelers and communities across parts of the state.
The latest attack has also raised questions about the safety of people traveling for official engagements, including recruitment-related exercises.
Police were yet to provide further details on the incident or on possible security measures to prevent similar attacks.
