RismadarVoice Reporters
June 2, 2026
No fewer than 17 people, including seven visitors who had travelled to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir, were reportedly killed when heavily armed bandits attacked Dangulbi community in Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Residents said the attackers, numbering in the hundreds and riding motorcycles, stormed the community on Sunday morning, shooting indiscriminately, looting shops and forcing villagers to flee into nearby forests.
According to local sources, the assailants were believed to have moved from Bagega village in Zamfara State through Barayar Zaki in Bukkuyum Local Government Area before spending the night in Gizazza village ahead of the attack.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said the gunmen arrived in Dangulbi between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and immediately opened fire on residents.
“They started shooting as soon as they arrived. People ran in different directions in search of safety, but 17 people lost their lives during the attack,” the source said.
Among those reportedly killed were Munde, Nagoma, Abdullahi, Danbala, Munden Chana, Muhammadu Dan Amo, Hassan, Abubakar Danbaba, and Yidi Bafillace, among others.
Residents disclosed that five of the victims were visitors from Adarawa in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, while two others had travelled from Gidan Gambo in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State to celebrate the Sallah festivities.
Witnesses said the bandits remained in the community for several hours after the attack, preventing residents from recovering the bodies of the deceased or conducting burials.
“They stayed until about 7 p.m., making it impossible for anyone to come out. Funeral prayers were eventually conducted after 9:30 p.m. when they left,” another resident said.
The attackers were also alleged to have looted about 20 shops before moving through neighbouring communities, including Kukoki and Birnin Magaji, where several persons were reportedly abducted.
However, residents claimed that the abductees later escaped after a heavy rainstorm confused the gunmen.
The attack has triggered a fresh wave of displacement, with many residents fleeing Dangulbi and surrounding communities to seek refuge in safer areas across Tureta, Shagari, Gummi, and Bukkuyum local government areas.
Community leaders and residents have appealed to both the federal and Sokoto State governments to deploy additional security personnel to the area and improve road infrastructure to facilitate faster security responses.
According to them, poor road networks have continued to hamper the movement of security operatives, leaving rural communities exposed to recurring attacks by armed groups.
The latest assault adds to growing concerns over insecurity in parts of Sokoto and neighbouring Zamfara states, where communities have continued to face attacks, killings, kidnappings, and displacement linked to bandit activities.
The development also raises fears about the impact of insecurity on farming activities as communities prepare for the rainy season and the commencement of agricultural operations.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed awareness of the incident.
He said security agencies had intensified operations in the area and were working to restore normalcy and prevent further attacks.
