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No fewer than five persons have been confirmed dead and nine women abducted following an attack by bandits on Bargaje Community in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The attackers, believed to be loyal to notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji, reportedly stormed the village in large numbers on Friday, shooting sporadically and setting houses ablaze. Residents said the assault lasted several hours, forcing many to flee into nearby bushes for safety.
A terrified resident of the community said the gunmen arrived on motorcycles late Friday night, killing five people and whisking away nine women.
“They came through the eastern axis and took us by surprise. The vigilantes tried to resist but were overpowered,” the source said.
While security operatives had yet to issue an official statement as of press time, a senior police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the attack but declined to give casualty figures.
Repeated attempts to reach the Sokoto State Police Command’s spokesperson, Ahmed Rufai, were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, the Isa Local Government Council has described as false and mischievous a viral social media report accusing its chairman, Sharehu Kamarawa, of ignoring an intelligence alert before the attack.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the council described the allegations as a “baseless attempt to malign the image of the chairman and undermine ongoing security efforts.”
The statement explained that the council acted swiftly upon receiving intelligence, mobilising vigilante groups and notifying relevant security agencies.
“Security personnel were deployed to the area to forestall an attack. However, the bandits diverted through another route, which unfortunately led to the Bargaje incident,” the statement read.
The council disclosed that it had sanctioned the local security commander responsible for the area and replaced him to enhance coordination and response.
Kamarawa, in his remarks, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property, noting ongoing support to both formal and community security formations through logistics, fuel, and welfare assistance.
He appealed to residents to avoid spreading unverified claims that could demoralize security operatives or disrupt intelligence sharing.
“Security is a shared responsibility. We need unity, vigilance, and credible information — not falsehoods that weaken our collective resolve,” he said.
