At least two people have been confirmed dead after bandits launched an attack on Bargaja town in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State in the early hours of Sunday, forcing many residents to flee their homes.
According to local sources, the attackers stormed the community around 1:30 a.m., causing panic as villagers escaped to safer areas, including Sokoto city and nearby communities.
Security analyst Bashiru Altine Giyawa confirmed the incident, noting that Bargaja had long been among the communities resisting attacks by gunmen linked to notorious bandit leader Bello Turji.
He explained that members of a local vigilante group confronted the assailants in a gun battle while trying to repel the invasion.
“The vigilantes engaged the bandits in a fierce gunfight, but unfortunately two of them were killed during the clash,” Altine said.
The victims were identified as Umaru Biri and Garba Mumminu, who reportedly died from gunshot wounds sustained in the confrontation.
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Residents claimed that some of the attackers were also killed, but their bodies were allegedly taken away by other bandits into nearby forests.
Eyewitnesses described the situation in the eastern Sokoto community as tense, adding that repeated attacks linked to Turji’s network have caused killings and forced many people to abandon their homes.
Many displaced residents, mostly women and children, were seen leaving the town with their belongings amid fears that the worsening security situation was not being adequately addressed.
When contacted, the Nigeria Police Force spokesperson in Kebbi State, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said authorities were aware of a video circulating on social media about the incident.
He said the police were investigating to determine what exactly happened and assured that security agencies were working to restore calm and ensure the safety of residents in the affected area.
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