ADC Governorship Candidate Calls for Action over Sokoto Killings and Abductions

Manir Dan’iya, the ADC candidate for governor of Nigeria’s Sokoto State, has condemned a new wave of killings and abductions in Rabah Local Government Area, saying residents need protection rather than further assurances.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Aminu Abdullahi, Dan’iya said reports from Sunday indicated that a mother and her son were killed, alongside 10 other people, while about 40 people were abducted in Rabah. He also cited a separate attack on Tofa village in the same local government area, where seven people were reportedly killed and 12 abducted.

“How many more people must be killed or abducted before the APC governments admit that Sokoto has a serious security emergency?” Dan’iya asked. He said the repeated attacks exposed a widening gap between official assurances and the reality faced by people in rural communities.

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How many more people must be killed or abducted before the APC governments admit that Sokoto has a serious security emergency?

Rabah has experienced repeated attacks by suspected bandits in recent months, including killings, abductions and livestock theft. Police confirmed that one person was killed and five abducted in an attack on Mallamawar Yari village in March. Another attack reported in June left four farmers dead and 12 people abducted. More recently, communities across Sokoto State have faced further attacks, prompting calls for stronger security measures and more personnel in vulnerable areas.

The state government has approved N1.75 billion to buy 1,000 motorcycles for security agencies. Dan’iya said such measures must produce visible results. “The people of Rabah do not need another press statement. They need security personnel, intelligence, rapid response and the confidence to sleep in their homes without fearing that armed men will arrive in the night,” he said. He also called for stronger coordination and accountability in the state’s security system, and urged the federal government to intensify its campaign against banditry in northwestern Nigeria.

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The people of Rabah do not need another press statement. They need security personnel, intelligence, rapid response and the confidence to sleep in their homes without fearing that armed men will arrive in the night.