The Sokoto State government have officially announced the death toll of the attack by bandits on Goronyo market in Goronyo Local Government Area of the State.

The state governor, Aminu Tambuwal, on Monday, said after due diligence, it was confirmed that 43 persons lost their lives to the market attack that happened on Sunday night.

While receiving the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Governor Tambuwal had said the bandits killed about 30 people.

“The number of people that died in Goronyo; I did say it was above 30. I was not categorical about the figure,” he was quoted as saying in a statement by his media adviser, Muhammad Bello.

“We just finished a meeting with some stakeholders and I have confirmed that we lost 43 people, unfortunately to that incident. May God Almighty have mercy on their souls.”

During the meeting with Lt. Gen. Yahaya, the governor charged the Nigerian Army to deploy more troops to the state to combat the rising insecurity.

According to Tambuwal, criminals have been migrating to Sokoto as a result of the ongoing military operations in Zamfara State.

He urged the military to carry out a simultaneous operation in all states facing the challenges of banditry and other related security issues in the North West.

He assured that his administration would continue to support the army and other security operatives to see that the state was rid of all criminal elements.