At least 17 people have been killed following a violent attack by armed bandits on Dangulbi community in Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State, in an incident that also left shops looted and residents displaced.
According to The PUNCH, eyewitnesses said the attackers invaded the community on Sunday morning in large numbers, arriving on motorcycles and opening fire on residents while carting away valuables from shops.
Local sources said the assailants, who were reportedly hundreds in number, stormed the community between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., causing widespread panic as residents fled in different directions for safety.
“They started shooting immediately they entered the town. People ran everywhere to save their lives, but 17 persons were killed in the attack,” a resident who requested anonymity said.
The victims were said to include both locals and visitors who had travelled to the area for the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations. Among those identified by residents were Munde, Nagoma, Abdullahi, Danbala, Munden Chana, Muhammadu Dan Amo, Hassan, Abubakar Danbaba and Yidi Bafillace.
According to community accounts, five of the deceased were visitors from Adarawa in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, while two others came from Gidan Gambo in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State for the Sallah holiday.
Residents further alleged that the gunmen, believed to have crossed from Zamfara State through several rural routes, remained in the community for hours after the attack, preventing evacuation or recovery of bodies.
“They stayed in the town till about 7 p.m. Nobody could come out. Burial prayers only held after 9:30 p.m. when they finally left,” another resident said.
The attackers were also said to have looted about 20 shops before moving to nearby communities, including Kukoki and Birnin Magaji, where some abductions were reportedly carried out.
Some abducted persons were later said to have escaped during the night following confusion caused by a heavy rainstorm.
The attack triggered fresh displacement, with many residents fleeing Dangulbi and surrounding villages to seek refuge in neighbouring local government areas such as Tureta, Shagari, Gummi, and Bukkuyum.
Community members have appealed to government authorities to strengthen security presence in the area and improve road access, saying poor infrastructure has made it difficult for security operatives to respond quickly during attacks.
“We are calling on the government to urgently deploy more security personnel here. These repeated attacks are making life unbearable,” a resident said.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said security agencies were already responding to the situation and working to restore normalcy.
“I am aware of the incident. Our operatives are on the ground working to contain the situation and ensure peace returns to the area,” he stated.
The latest attack adds to a growing wave of insecurity in parts of Sokoto State, where rural communities have continued to suffer repeated raids linked to armed groups, raising concerns over safety and the future of farming activities in the region.
