At least two people have been killed and several residents forced to flee Bargaja following a fresh bandit attack in the early hours of Sunday.
Local sources said the attackers stormed the community around 1:30 a.m., causing panic as villagers fled to safer locations, including Sokoto metropolis and neighbouring communities.
A security analyst, Bashiru Altine Giyawa, who confirmed the incident, explained that Bargaja had been one of the communities consistently resisting attacks by fighters loyal to notorious bandit leader Bello Turji.
According to him, members of the local vigilante group confronted the attackers and engaged them in a gun battle while trying 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 clash.
Residents also claimed that several bandits were killed during the gunfight, but their bodies were allegedly taken away by their accomplices into nearby forest hideouts.
Eyewitnesses described the security situation in Bargaja, located in eastern Sokoto State, as tense, noting that repeated attacks linked to Turji’s network have led to killings and displacement in the area.
Many displaced residents, mostly women and children, were seen boarding vehicles and leaving the community with their belongings amid fears that the worsening insecurity was not being adequately addressed.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force in Kebbi State, Ahmed Rufai, said the command had seen a video circulating on social media about the incident.
He added that the police were investigating the situation to determine the exact details of what happened and assured that security agencies were working to restore calm and ensure the safety of residents in the affected areas.
