Armed men have reportedly killed passengers travelling home after attending a screening exercise in Sokoto State, amid growing concerns over attacks on civilians in northern Nigeria. The number and identities of those killed in the reported Sokoto incident have not been independently confirmed.
According to information shared by Bakatsine, a conflict reporter covering northwestern Nigeria, some of the victims were reportedly among the 3,000 people recruited by the Sokoto State Government who had been invited to Sokoto city for further screening and document collection.
The passengers were reportedly returning home when armed men intercepted their vehicle and opened fire. Photographs said to show some of the deceased circulated following the incident, but the full circumstances of the attack remain unclear.
The reported killings come amid continuing insecurity across northern Nigeria, where civilians in several communities remain vulnerable to attacks by suspected insurgents and armed bandits.
Borno Attack: 15 Farmers and Firewood Gatherers Killed
In a separate incident in Borno State, at least 15 farmers and firewood gatherers were reportedly killed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Marte Local Government Area.
The victims were allegedly ambushed while carrying out their daily activities around Ala and Musune wards on Wednesday evening.
Local sources said 18 people had gone to the farms, but only 15 bodies were recovered and buried on Thursday. Three others were still missing as of Friday, while community members continued searching for them.
The Public Relations Officer of the Borno State Police Command, Nahum Daso, confirmed the attack to PUNCH Online, although he said details remained sketchy.
“Yes, there was an attack in Marte. 15 people were killed while others are still missing. Efforts are ongoing to determine their whereabouts,” Daso said.
He added that security authorities were gathering more information and would provide updates as further details became available.
Victims Ambushed While Working on Farms
According to local sources, the victims were mainly peasant farmers and firewood gatherers who had entered the surrounding bush to earn a living and provide for their families.
They reportedly included young men, married men and elderly residents.
A source who requested anonymity alleged that the victims were attacked while working on their farms, claiming that they were restrained and executed at close range.
The source further alleged that some victims had been decapitated, making the identification of certain bodies difficult.
“Many people were killed. Some were not even recognisable. So far, we have buried 15 out of the 18; we are currently searching for three persons,” the source said.
Another local source said community members later retrieved the bodies from the affected area and took them home for burial.
The source added that the recovered bodies had been buried according to Islamic rites.
Amnesty International Condemns Borno Killings
The killings in Marte prompted condemnation from Amnesty International, which described the incident as horrific and called on Nigerian authorities to take urgent steps to protect vulnerable communities.
In a statement, the human rights organisation said the killing of civilians represented a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
“Amnesty International strongly condemns the horrific killing of at least 15 people on Thursday, 1 October 2026, in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State, Northeast Nigeria,” the organisation said.
Amnesty International stated that the victims were local residents who had gone into the surrounding bush to gather firewood for their livelihoods and household needs when they were attacked by a suspected Boko Haram group.
The organisation urged the Nigerian government to strengthen security measures and ensure the safety of civilians living in areas exposed to attacks by armed groups.
“Amnesty International calls on the Nigerian authorities to take immediate, transparent, and human-rights-compliant measures to protect vulnerable communities living in the region,” the statement said.
Growing Concerns Over Civilian Safety in Northern Nigeria
The reported Sokoto attack and the killings in Borno highlight persistent concerns about civilian safety in parts of northern Nigeria affected by armed violence.
In the Sokoto incident, the number of casualties and the identities of the victims remain unverified. In Marte, police confirmed that 15 people were killed and said efforts were ongoing to locate those still missing.
Authorities are expected to provide further details as investigations and information-gathering efforts continue.