A humanitarian worker, Lydia Chinenye Nwankwo, and a police inspector have been killed in separate attacks linked to suspected bandits in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Nwankwo, a field operations professional involved in humanitarian work, was reportedly killed on Tuesday, October 6, while returning from a field assignment in Kajiji community with members of her team.
The incident was disclosed by her sister, Chisom Nwankwo, in a Facebook post on Thursday, where she mourned the death of the young humanitarian worker.
According to the family, the attackers opened fire on the vehicle conveying Nwankwo and other members of her team, killing her at the scene.
Her death has reportedly sent shockwaves through the humanitarian community in Sokoto, with colleagues remembering her as a committed field worker who dedicated herself to providing assistance to vulnerable people in difficult-to-reach communities.
Confirming the attack, the Sokoto State Police Command said a police inspector was also killed during the incident.
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The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Shagari Local Government had reported the attack to the state headquarters.
Rufai, however, said the command was still gathering information on the incident and could not immediately provide a complete account of the casualties.
“I just spoke with the DPO in charge of Shagari now, who confirmed the attack on some communities in the local government. We are still on it. I cannot give details now until I gather my information about the incident. I will get back to you on it,” he said.
The latest attack has heightened concerns over the security situation in parts of Shagari, with residents urging the government and security agencies to strengthen surveillance, increase patrols and deploy additional personnel to vulnerable communities.
The authorities are expected to provide further details on the attack and the casualties as investigations continue.