Monday, March, 16 2026 - At least two people have been killed, and many residents forced to flee Bargaja town in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, following a fresh attack by bandits in the early hours of Sunday.
Local sources said the assailants stormed the community at
about 1:30 a.m., triggering panic as villagers fled to safer locations,
including Sokoto metropolis and nearby communities.
A security analyst, Bashiru Altine Giyawa, who confirmed the
incident, said Bargaja had been one of the few communities in the area that
consistently resisted attacks by fighters loyal to notorious bandit leader
Bello Turji.
According to him, local vigilantes engaged the attackers in
a gun duel while attempting to repel the invasion.
“The vigilante group confronted the bandits in a fierce
exchange of gunfire. Unfortunately, two vigilantes lost their lives during the
confrontation,” Altine said.
The victims were identified as Umaru Biri and Garba Mumminu,
who reportedly died from gunshot wounds sustained during the attack.
Residents said several bandits were also killed in the
clash, but their bodies were allegedly taken away by fellow fighters into
nearby forest hideouts.
Eyewitnesses described the situation in Bargaja, located in
eastern Sokoto, as tense, noting that persistent attacks linked to Turji’s
network have led to repeated killings and displacement in the area.
Our correspondent observed groups of displaced
residents—mostly women and children—boarding vehicles and leaving the town with
their belongings amid fears that the worsening insecurity was not being
adequately addressed by authorities.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police
Force in Kebbi State, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said the command had seen a video
circulating on social media about the incident.
He noted that the police were “investigating the situation
to ascertain the accurate details of what transpired.”
Rufai assured that security agencies were working to ensure
the safety of citizens and restore calm in the affected areas.
0 Comments