Bandits forced us to flee to Niger Republic —Sokoto farmers

Some farmers who fled the Gudu and Tangaza local government areas of Sokoto State to seek refuge in Niger Republic, have narrated how constant attacks and invasion of their communities by bandits forced them to flee to Niger Republic to seek refuge.

Speaking to the BBC Hausa service on Monday, December 7, the farmers said the bandits would raid towns in the night and force them to pay huge sums of money or identify the rich among them to kidnap.

One of the returnees who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said many of them now spend the nights in Niger Republic and return in the morning.

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“The situation we find ourselves in the villages of Gudu and Tangaza local governments is indeed terrible.

“Every night, bandits will visit our villages with guns, going from house to house. If you don’t have money to give them, they will force you to show them a rich man in the village for them to kidnap.

“Even on Sunday, they kidnapped two people, and they are yet to release them since they have not paid ransom,” he said.

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