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Suspected bandits have killed a newly recruited teacher, a driver and his five-year-old son in an ambush along the Gundumi-Isa road in Sokoto State, while three other people were reportedly injured and another passenger remained missing.
The victims were identified as Maniru Sa’adu Imam, 30, a newly recruited teacher; Abdurrahman Umar, the driver of the vehicle conveying them; and Umar’s five-year-old son, Abubakar Abdurrahman. Blueprint reports
The incident occurred on Wednesday as the victims were returning to Isa Local Government Area after travelling to Sokoto metropolis for a salary verification exercise ahead of the commencement of payments to newly recruited teachers.
According to reports, a witness, Malam Kabiru Isa, said the victims were travelling behind a convoy of vehicles returning to Isa under security escort when the attack occurred.
Isa explained that residents of Isa usually travel to Sokoto metropolis on Wednesdays and Saturdays because of the prevailing security challenges in the area.
He said the convoy departed at about 4pm on Wednesday, but some vehicles, including the one conveying the victims, returned to their usual meeting point after other members of the group had left.
“We wanted to wait for everyone who had travelled with us, but the security operatives insisted that we leave early, so we left them behind,” the witness was quoted as saying.
According to him, the security personnel escorting the convoy spotted suspected bandits as they approached Gundumi and opened fire, forcing the gunmen to flee.
However, the assailants later reportedly ambushed vehicles travelling behind the convoy and opened fire on their occupants.
“They killed three people, including Imam, the driver and his son. They also injured three others, while one passenger is still missing,” Isa said.
The witness added that the deceased were buried on Thursday morning.
Teacher killed before receiving first salary
Imam was among teachers recently recruited by the Sokoto State Government and posted to Government Day Secondary School, Maitandu, according to the witness.
The 30-year-old, who was a father of one, had travelled to Sokoto metropolis to complete a verification exercise required before newly recruited teachers could begin receiving their salaries.
He was reportedly yet to receive his first salary at the time of his death.
“He had not started receiving his salary. In fact, he went to Sokoto for the verification exercise ahead of their payment,” Isa said.
His killing has highlighted the dangers faced by residents travelling between communities in parts of Sokoto State where insecurity has disrupted movement and other routine activities.
The circumstances surrounding the attack also raise concerns about the safety of travellers who fall outside the main body of escorted convoys, particularly along routes affected by suspected banditry.
Security concerns along Gundumi-Isa road
The witness said residents of Isa had limited their journeys to Sokoto metropolis to two days a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays, because of the prevailing security situation.
The arrangement, he explained, allows residents travelling to and from the state capital to coordinate their movements, although the incident showed that those who become separated from the main group may remain vulnerable.
According to his account, the security personnel escorting the convoy encountered suspected bandits near Gundumi and engaged them, forcing them to retreat. The gunmen were subsequently said to have attacked vehicles following behind.
Three people reportedly sustained injuries in the ambush, while the whereabouts of another passenger remained unknown as of the time of the report.
The identities and conditions of the injured passengers, as well as the identity of the missing person, were not immediately available.
Efforts to obtain confirmation from the Sokoto State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesperson, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, reportedly did not respond to calls from the reporter.
There was no immediate official police statement on the incident in the account available.
The attack adds to security concerns in parts of Sokoto State, where suspected bandit groups have threatened communities and disrupted travel, livelihoods and access to public services.
For Imam’s family, his death came before he could begin receiving the salary attached to his newly secured teaching position. The killing of Umar and his young son has also left another family mourning two relatives following the reported ambush.
The incident underscores the human cost of insecurity for ordinary residents, including public servants travelling to complete routine administrative requirements.
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