Terrorists burn bus with 42 passengers inside in Sokoto

A bus carrying 42 passengers was set on fire by a gang of terrorists in troubled Sokoto State, according to a report by BBC Hausa.

The incident reportedly took place on Monday, December 6, 2021 while the passengers were travelling from Sabon Birni local government area of the state.

An eyewitness told the BBC Hausa that only about seven of the passengers survived, but in critical condition.

The witness said the remains of those that were burnt to ashes were gathered and buried together.

"Among the passengers were my mother's brother, his wife, and their four children," another eyewitness reported.

Sokoto is one of the worst-affected by the activities of armed gangs who have terrorised rural areas and killed thousands of people and abducted more over the past couple of years.

Nearly 50 villagers were massacred in two local government areas of the state last month, an incident Governor Aminu Tambuwal called 'upsetting'.

At least 11,500 people were forced to flee from Sokoto to neighbouring Niger Republic in November due to terror attacks on their communities, according to the UNHCR.

"Women and children make up the majority of the recent arrivals and describe killings, kidnappings for ransom, and the looting of their villages," UNHCR spokesperson, Boris Cheshirkov, said at a press briefing last week.

They took shelter in 26 villages across Bangui, located in Niger's Tahoua region which already received 3,500 Nigerian refugees since September.