RismadarVoice Reporters
March 15, 2026
At least two people have been killed, many residents displaced following a fresh bandit attack on Bargaja town in Isa Local Government Area, Sokoto State, in the early hours of Sunday.
Local sources said the assailants stormed the community around 1:30a.m., triggering panic as villagers fled to safer locations, including Sokoto metropolis and nearby communities.
A security analyst, Bashiru Altine Giyawa, confirmed that Bargaja had been one of the few communities consistently resisting attacks by fighters loyal to notorious bandit leader Bello Turji.
“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 attack.
Residents reported that several bandits were also killed, but their bodies were allegedly taken away by fellow fighters into nearby forest hideouts.
Eyewitnesses described the situation in Bargaja as tense, with repeated attacks linked to Turji’s network causing killings and mass displacement in the area.
Groups of displaced residents, mostly women and children, were observed leaving the town with their belongings amid fears that insecurity in the region remains unabated.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force in Kebbi State, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said the command had seen a video circulating on social media and was investigating the incident to confirm details.
He assured that security agencies were working to ensure the safety of citizens and restore calm in the affected areas.
