‎Bandit attack in Sokoto: Two villagers killed, several abducted

‎Sokoto, Nigeria — At least two villagers were killed and several others abducted following a suspected bandit raid on Bargaja village in the Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Monday, January 12, 2026.
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‎The attack, according to the Sokoto State Police Command, is believed to have been carried out by gunmen loyal to notorious bandit leader Bello Turji. Police spokesperson DSP Ahmed Rufai confirmed the incident on Tuesday, adding that a full account would be released once the Divisional Police Officer in the area submits a detailed field report.
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‎“Two were killed, and some people were kidnapped, but we don’t yet have the exact number,” Rufai told journalists.
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‎Local residents reported that the village had already been targeted in previous raids, underscoring ongoing insecurity along the Sokoto–Zamfara axis. The latest assault has triggered fresh displacement, with many fleeing to Isa town and neighboring communities in search of safety.
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‎“The whole of Tidibale Ward has been devastated by Bello Turji,” a local resident said in a written statement, appealing to federal, state and local authorities for urgent intervention and warning that civilians were becoming “refugees in their own land.”
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‎Security analysts have raised concerns about the persistence of banditry in northwestern Nigeria, where farming and pastoral communities continue to experience deadly raids, mass kidnappings and widespread displacement despite ongoing security efforts.