17 Killed, Including Seven Sallah Visitors, in Fresh Sokoto Bandit Attack

At least 17 persons, including seven visitors who had travelled to celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir festivities, were killed following a deadly attack by suspected bandits on Dangulbi community in Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Residents told Global Mirror News that the attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons and riding on about 150 motorcycles, stormed the community on Sunday morning, shooting indiscriminately, looting shops and forcing residents to flee into nearby forests.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, alleged that the attackers had earlier departed from Bagega village in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State before passing through Barayar Zaki in Bukkuyum Local Government Area and spending the night in Gizazza village ahead of the attack.

According to the source, the bandits invaded Dangulbi between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sunday and immediately opened fire on residents.

“They started shooting as soon as they entered the village. People ran in different directions in search of safety, but 17 persons lost their lives during the attack,” the resident said.

Some of the victims were identified as Munde, Nagoma, Abdullahi, Danbala, Munden Chana, Muhammadu Dan Amo, Hassan, Abubakar Danbaba and Yidi Bafillace.

The source disclosed to Global Mirror News that five of those killed were Sallah visitors from Adarawa in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, while two others had travelled from Gidan Gambo in Shagari Local Government Area, bringing the number of visiting victims to seven.

Residents further alleged that the attackers remained in the community for several hours after the killings, preventing families from conducting funeral rites for the deceased.

According to the source, villagers were unable to recover and bury the bodies until the bandits left the area at about 7 p.m., while funeral prayers were eventually conducted later in the night.

Global Mirror News gathered that the attackers also looted about 20 shops during the invasion while residents remained in hiding inside nearby forests.

The attack has reportedly forced many residents to abandon their homes and seek refuge in neighbouring communities and local government areas, including Gummi, Shagari, Tureta and Bukkuyum.

After leaving Dangulbi, the bandits were said to have moved through nearby communities, including Kukoki and Birnin Magaji, where they abducted several residents.

A resident alleged that the gunmen told the captives they would not regain their freedom unless petrol was supplied for their motorcycles.

However, a rainstorm that occurred later on Sunday night reportedly created confusion among the attackers, allowing the abducted victims to escape.

Residents also claimed that the bandits returned to communities around Dangulbi on Monday morning and continued shooting sporadically, creating fresh panic among villagers.

The affected communities have appealed to the Federal Government and the Sokoto State Government to urgently deploy additional security personnel to the area to prevent further attacks.

They also called for the construction of access roads, noting that poor road infrastructure often delays security response and exposes residents to repeated attacks.

Residents warned that the continued insecurity could negatively affect farming activities in the area as many villagers are now afraid to return to their farmlands.

The latest incident is one of several deadly attacks recorded in the area in recent weeks, with residents lamenting that bandit assaults have become increasingly frequent across communities in Sokoto and neighbouring Zamfara State.