Five killed, women abducted as suspected Bello Turji-led bandits attack Sokoto community

At least five people have been killed and several women reportedly abducted following an attack by suspected bandits believed to be led by notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji on Lajinge community in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The attack, which reportedly occurred on Tuesday night, was disclosed by conflict reporter Bakatsine in a post shared on his X account on Wednesday.

According to the report, the armed assailants stormed the community, killing five residents and injuring eight others. The injured victims were said to have been rushed to a hospital for medical treatment.

The attackers also reportedly abducted several women, although the exact number of those taken away remains unclear.

In addition to the killings and abductions, the bandits allegedly rustled a large number of livestock and looted valuables belonging to residents before fleeing the community.

The reported attack has heightened fears among residents, who are said to be worried about their safety and the possibility of further assaults. The whereabouts of the abducted victims remain unknown.

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Reacting to the incident, Bakatsine lamented the continued wave of violence allegedly linked to Bello Turji and questioned the prolonged insecurity affecting communities in the area.

“Bello Turji’s relentless attacks on communities across this axis have continued to cause fear, displacement and loss of lives. How long will these communities continue to endure this cycle of terror without a decisive end to the attacks?” he wrote.

As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had not officially confirmed the incident or issued any statement regarding the reported attack.