Two people were killed and several others abducted in Bargaja village, Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, following a terrorists attack on Monday.
The spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, told the press on Tuesday that the attack was suspected to have been carried out by gunmen allegedly loyal to bandit leader Bello Turji.
He stated that a detailed account of the incident would be provided once the Divisional Police Officer in the area submits a field report.
“Two were killed, and some people were kidnapped, but we don’t yet have the exact number. We will get fuller details from the DPO of the local government,” Rufai said.
Residents and security sources also stated that Bargaja had been targeted a few days ago, indicating that there had been frequent raids by terrorists along the Sokoto–Zamfara axis.
Villagers fled to Isa town and nearby settlements as a result of the onslaught, according to locals.
Despite promises from security agencies, attacks, kidnappings, and displacement have persisted in Isa, Sabon Birni, and other areas of eastern Sokoto.
Residents of Isa town claimed that displaced people from Tidibale Ward had arrived over the weekend.
According to locals, since more farming and pastoral settlements are in danger, displaced civilians have been moving more frequently in recent months.
“The whole of Tidibale Ward has been devastated by Bello Turji,” a resident alleged in a written statement circulated to journalists.
He warned that residents were quickly turning into “refugees in their own land” and called for immediate action from federal, state, and local authorities.
Neither the Isa Local Government Council nor the Sokoto State Government has formally responded to the situation as of the time of filing this report.
Bashar Altine, a security expert from Isa LGA, called the situation “deeply worrying,” pointing out that many of the displaced people are residing in temporary shelters and public schools in Isa town.
Some have fled into the Niger Republic in search of protection, he claimed, while others have moved to neighboring Sabon Birni.
Additionally, according to Altine, Turji “is very much alive” and is still actively involved in certain areas of Isa and the nearby settlements.
Concerns about the continued banditry in the Northwest, where villages have suffered years of agriculture disruptions, mass relocation, school kidnappings, and a declining civic presence owing to insecurity, are raised by the recent attacks in Isa.
