The terrorists are believed to be based in Gundumi forest that straddles across three local government areas in the state.
Nine residents have been killed while several others were abducted after terrorists attacked four villages in Sokoto State between Monday and Tuesday.
Witnesses told PREMIUM TIMES that Kojiyo in Goronyo Local Government, Chaco in Wurno Local Government, and Lambar Rabah in Rabah Local Government were attacked on Monday while Rara in Rabah Local Government was struck on Tuesday.
Four people were killed, and 13 others were abducted in Kojiyo. Three were killed in Lambar Raba while two people were killed and several others abducted in Rara. Twelve people were abducted in Chaco.
''They (terrorists) took two of my wives. When they came into the community in the night (Tuesday), most people ran into their houses thinking that the terrorists would only take foodstuff, abduct those seen outside and leave. But they went from house to house. That was how they took my wives,'' Abubakar, a resident of Rara, told PREMIUM TIMES over the phone.
He said he was not at home when the terrorists attacked his community.
He said his friend, Dan Shehu Rara, was killed by the terrorists in the presence of his family members.
''He was slaughtered like a chicken for saying he didn't have anything to give.''
One other person was shot in the head and he died instantly, he said.
Ibrahim Halilu, another resident, said his brother Hussaini Bello was among those abducted during the attack that lasted for several hours.
During Monday morning attack, a group of terrorists made a stopover in Lambar Rabah where they killed three people before moving to Kojiyo.
''It was obvious that they planned to attack Kojiyo but when they reached Lambar Rabah, it was still early and as soon as they reached the intersection, they opened fire on the people they saw and three men died instantly.
''They didn't even stop in the community. They moved to Kojiyo. Despite efforts to alert the people of Kojiyo that the terrorists were on the way to their community, they killed four people and 13 others were abducted,'' a native of Lambar Rabah, who asked not to be named because he works with the Sokoto State government, told PREMIUM TIMES.
Before the attack on Kojiyo and Lambar Rabah, another group of terrorists also attacked Chaco and abducted 12 people and rustled domestic animals.
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''It's disturbing that the trend of killing and kidnapping people is resurfacing in these areas'' Basharu Guyawa, a researcher on banditry who is also from Sokoto, said. ''These terrorists drove on their motorcycles from Gundumi forest to attack four villages, took people and domestic animals and returned to their camps in the forest without any attempt by security agents to repel them. It's serious and disturbing.''
The spokesperson of the police in the state, Ahmad Rufa'i, didn't respond to calls and an SMS sent by this reporter as of the time of filing this report.
Rising trend
The North-west subregion has been battling terrorists, also called bandits, for over a decade.
The terrorists have killed and abducted thousands of people, and others have been displaced in the region.
The terrorists primarily target schools, religious houses, travellers and rural communities.
