No fewer than nine communities in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State have been deserted following renewed threats by suspected bandits to launch fresh attacks after security forces reportedly recovered a heavy weapon during a recent military operation.

The affected communities include Tsamaye, Unguwar Lalle, Lajinge, Dan Tudu, Garin Faji, Zallah Bango, Makuwana, Alkalawa and Faru, where residents have fled their homes for fear of reprisals by the armed groups.

The latest displacement comes days after suspected bandits attacked one of the communities, killing several residents, rustling cattle and abducting others.

According to a security source in the region, the attackers returned on Monday night but were met by troops, who engaged them in a fierce gun battle. The assailants were forced to retreat, leaving behind a heavy machine gun that security sources believe had been used in previous attacks.

According to local sources, the bandits threatened to return to reclaim the heavy weapon recovered by security operatives during the gun battle, prompting panic across the district and triggering a mass exodus from at least nine communities as residents fled to safety.

Unguwar Lalle, which had served as a safe haven for people fleeing smaller villages because of the presence of security personnel and local vigilante groups, has now also witnessed large-scale displacement as residents abandoned their homes.

Eyewitnesses said men, women and children trekked through the night towards Sabon Birni, the headquarters of the local government area, with many forced to walk between 30 and 50 kilometres due to the scarcity of vehicles.

The humanitarian situation was worsened by flooding, which cut off the main road linking Sabon Birni with the affected communities and Sokoto metropolis, leaving many displaced residents stranded with limited access to transportation.

Desite the growing insecurity, residents commended security personnel stationed in the area for their courage and sacrifice in protecting lives and property.

They appealed to the Federal Government and military authorities to provide additional personnel, equipment and logistics to sustain ongoing operations and prevent further attacks.

The fresh displacement has heightened concerns over the humanitarian impact of banditry in eastern Sokoto, where repeated attacks continue to force rural communities from their homes despite intensified military operations. (The Sun)