Sokoto hospital denies treating ‘killed’ Dogo Gide

The Reliance Specialist Hospital in Sokoto Wednesday denied treating bandits’ leader Dogo Gide, who was purportedly shot by the military and later allegedly died of bullet wounds.

Daily Trust reports that the social media was yesterday awash with stories saying Dogo Gide died while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Sokoto.

Gide, a notorious bandits’ kingpin and his gang were believed to be behind the June 17, 2021, abduction of more than 100 pupils and five of their teachers from FGC Yauri, Kebbi State.

In August 2023, Gide, whose real name is Abdullahi Abubakar, claimed responsibility for the shooting down of a Nigerian Air Force helicopter in Niger State.

In a two minute, seventeen seconds’ video clip, Gide’s foot soldiers were featured celebrating the shooting down of the helicopter.

Military authorities at the time said the helicopter crashed while on its way to evacuate some of the soldiers killed by the terrorists during an ambush in the state.

Some media outlets reported yesterday that Gide, who had also been terrorizing several communities in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger and Sokoto states, succumbed to his injuries two weeks after he was shot during a clash with soldiers of Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD).

But officials of the Reliance Specialist Hospital Sokoto distanced themselves from the controversy surrounding his alleged treatment.

In a statement, the hospital said: “It has been brought to our notice, rumour circulating on social media and other public places, that one bandits leader in the name of Dogo Gide died in our facility.

“This rumour is untrue and baseless; the hospital has never accommodated any questionable person especially those connected with terrorism, banditry or any criminality.

“We urge the general public to disregard this information and desist from further spreading false information.”

Our correspondent reports that there are doubts on the purported killing of Dogo Gide, with some sources saying if truly he was dead, more facts would have emerged by now.

“There are no clear indications from around Dansadau in Zamfara State where he held from that he is dead,” one of our sources said. “And those who claimed he is dead said he was transported from the Shiroro area in Niger State for treatment in Sokoto; this cannot be true,” the source said.

Another source said even though Dogo Gide had been injured by the military, he recently played a role, from a distance, towards the release of the abducted students of Kuriga Primary and Junior Secondary School, on Sunday.

“The mastermind of the Kuriga abduction, Yellow Janbros is the protégé of Dogo Gide. Of course, they have parted ways.  However, on the release of the school children, he (Dogo Gide) played a role and Yellow Janbros listened to him in addition to the contributions by other stakeholders,” the source said.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Sokoto State Command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’I, said he only read the news of Dogo Gide’s death on social media platforms.

“Having read it on social media, I made an inquiry from our command because I am not in town, but the response I got did not confirm that the terrorist died in a private hospital in Mabera, Sokoto.

“Whatever may be the case, I will communicate with you as soon as I get details of the incident.”