By Anamati Inyang | RISMADAR Blog | November 8, 2025
Suspected bandits loyal to the notorious terrorist leader Bello Turji have launched another deadly attack on Bargaja Village in Isa Local Government Area (LGA) of Sokoto State, killing several residents and abducting 10 young women in a brutal night raid.
The assault, which occurred late Thursday night into the early hours of Friday, November 7, 2025, left the quiet agrarian community in mourning. Eyewitnesses confirmed that at least five villagers were killed, mostly farmers caught unawares during their evening routines, while another victim is currently receiving medical attention for life-threatening injuries.
According to local sources, the heavily armed assailants stormed the village on motorcycles, shooting indiscriminately and setting off panic among residents. The attackers reportedly ransacked homes, looted valuables, and forcefully took away 10 young women, whisking them into the nearby forest under the cover of darkness.
Survivors recounted horrifying scenes as families fled in confusion and fear. “We heard gunshots everywhere; people were shouting and running in different directions. They came in large numbers and moved from house to house, taking the young girls,” an eyewitness said.
The attack is the latest in a series of violent assaults attributed to Turji’s faction, which has continued to terrorize parts of Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina States, despite ongoing military operations.
Isa LGA, one of the hardest-hit areas in Sokoto State, has suffered repeated attacks this year, including the displacement of several communities in May and the killing of 11 farmers in April.
Despite sustained military efforts and public assurances to neutralize Turji and his network, the bandit leader remains at large, with his men exploiting vast ungoverned territories to impose levies, kidnap for ransom, and issue ultimatums to helpless villagers.
The latest assault underscores the persistent insecurity in Nigeria’s northwest, where rural communities continue to face unrelenting waves of violence and abductions with little respite in sight.
