Suspected Bello Turji-led bandits raid Sokoto community, kill five, abduct several women

At least five people have been killed and several women abducted after suspected bandits led by notorious kingpin Bello Turji invaded Lajinge community in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The attack was disclosed in a post shared on Wednesday by conflict reporter Bakatsine via his X handle.

According to the report, the assailants stormed the community on Tuesday night, killing five residents and injuring eight others, who were subsequently taken to hospital for treatment.

The attackers also reportedly abducted several women, although the exact number of those kidnapped remains unknown.

In addition to the killings and abductions, the bandits allegedly rustled a large number of livestock and looted valuables belonging to residents before fleeing the area.

The fate of those abducted remains unclear, a development that has triggered fears and anxiety among residents of the community over their safety and possible further attacks.

Bakatsine said Bello Turji’s persistent attacks on communities within the axis have continued to fuel fear, displacement and loss of lives.

“Bello Turji’s relentless attacks on communities across this axis have continued to cause fear, displacement and loss of lives.

How long will these communities continue to endure this cycle of terror without a decisive end to the attacks?” he wrote.

As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had yet to confirm the incident or issue any official statement on the reported attack.