An eye-witness has narrated that six of the mobile policemen who engaged bandits during an attack while escorting intending pilgrims in Sokoto paid the ultimate price.

He reported how the pilgrims were heading for Sokoto ahead of their take off to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage, were attacked along Gundumi forest.

However, all the intending pilgrims were brought back to the Palace of the Sarkin Gobir Isa unhurt.

The eye-witness, a resident of Isa, who spoke on condition of anonymity, narrated how the six policemen were gunned down by the terrorists.

“The bandits ambushed the convoy which was led by armed mobile policemen. The officers in front engaged the bandits and that was what made it possible for the pilgrims to escape as their vehicles turned back to Isa,” the source said.

It was also gathered that the situation forced the State Pilgrims Welfare Board to reschedule their flight to Wednesday from the originally scheduled take off time and date of 7:30 am on Tuesday.

Daily Trust also confirmed that the intending pilgrims were already in Sokoto, awaiting their flight.

The spokesperson of governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Muhammad Bello, who confirmed the attack in a press statement, said the pilgrims were received by government officials in the state capital.

Contacted, the acting spokesperson of the Police Command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i said he was not officially briefed about the death of his colleagues in the incident.