The country’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has released the former Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, after he spent barely 24 hours in custody.

Daily Trust confirmed his release on Tuesday.

The former governor had honoured an invitation by the commission at about 11:16 am on Monday but was subsequently taken into custody.

READ ALSO:

“He has been granted administrative bail. We’ve extracted what we need from him, and he will soon leave our headquarters after perfecting his bail conditions,” an EFCC officer told Daily Trust.

Meanwhile, the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, is yet to comment on Tambuwal’s release as of the time of filing this report.

Uikpam town in Mbabai Council Ward, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, is currently under attack.

Jimin Geoffrey, former media aide to the ex-Governor of the state, Samuel Ortom, posted the disturbing news on his official Facebook page on Tuesday night.

The post reads, “The calculated onslaught continues as militia herders are currently attacking Uikpam, headquarters and the only surviving town in the whole of Mbabai Council Ward. The agenda is real.

“As you read this, shooting is ongoing. May God help our people.”

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Benue IDPs block Highway, Demand Return To Ancestral Homes

DAILY POST reports that Uikpam and other communities in Guma LGA have been facing unprovoked attacks by suspected herdsmen.

Barely two weeks ago, the assailants killed two individuals along the Uikpam–Umenger road near Uikpam town.

Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the state, Udeme Edet, were not successful as of press time.

Bandits struck Marnona village in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State in the early hours of Sunday, killing one worshiper and abducting several others during morning prayers.

The attackers, reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons, stormed the mosque at dawn and opened fire indiscriminately on worshipers, sending the community into panic.

Residents fled in fear as gunshots echoed across the village.

Confirming the incident, the Sokoto State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Isah Achida, condemned the assault as “barbaric” and “an act of cowardice.”

READ ALSO:Bandits Kill Pastor, Two Others In Fresh Plateau Attack

“Targeting innocent worshipers in a sacred place is a direct attack on our humanity and our faith.

“The perpetrators must be brought to justice, and our people must remain united to defeat this menace,” Achida said.

Achida assured residents that the state government, in collaboration with security agencies, is working to curb banditry across Sokoto, while expressing sympathy to the bereaved families and wishing the injured a swift recovery.

Security sources believe the assailants may have come from camps hidden in the forests bordering Sokoto and Zamfara states, notorious for harbouring armed groups.

READ ALSO:Police Inspector, Two Officers Die In Kebbi Lakurawa Bandits Attack

The attackers fled before security operatives arrived at the scene.

The incident adds to a string of violent attacks in Sokoto East, where communities have repeatedly suffered raids, kidnappings, and killings in recent months.

Locals have been calling for greater military presence and coordinated operations to restore peace.

READ ALSO:Three Policemen, Two Soldiers Die As Security Forces Neutralise 30 Bandits In Katsina

Police spokesperson, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said the command has launched an investigation and will issue a detailed statement soon.

Meanwhile, tension remains high in Marnona and surrounding villages as security patrols intensify and local vigilante groups join forces with law enforcement to guard against further attacks.

For now, villagers are left counting their losses, their prayers disrupted by the growing shadow of insecurity that hangs over Sokoto’s rural communities.