Sokoto: 23 travellers burnt to death in bus attack

The Sokoto government says 23 persons died of injuries sustained from burns after bandits shot at a bus conveying travellers from Sokoto to Kaduna.

Muhammad Bello, spokesman to Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday.

The occupants of the vehicle were said to have been attacked on Monday in Gidan Bawa village in Isa LGA of Sokoto state.

While commiserating with the families of the victims, the state government added that strategies are being put in place to prevent a reoccurrence.

“Contrary to speculations that over 40 people lost their lives in a bandits attack on a 42-seater bus traveling to Kaduna on Monday, facts have emerged that 23 people lost their lives during an attack at Gidan Bawa village in Isa local government area of Sokoto state,” the statement reads.

“Security chiefs in Sokoto state, comprising heads of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, the Nigeria Police, Department of State Security and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps as well as the Chairmen of Isa and Sabon Birni local government areas had briefed the state Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on the incident at the Government House, Sokoto, Wednesday, pledging to work with it on modalities to checkmate future occurrences.”

According to the statement, Kamaldeen Okunola, Sokoto commissioner of police, said “of the total number of people in the bus which the bandits shot at causing a conflagration, 23 died of fire burns while six sustained minor injuries and are receiving treatment at a hospital”.

Three other victims are also said to have been discharged, while security agencies are patrolling the area which is close to the Zamfara border.

“Gov. Tambuwal prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased, quick recovery for those hospitalised and others wounded,” he added.