No fewer than 17 people, including seven visitors in the area for the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, were killed when armed bandits attacked Dangulbi community in Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Residents said the attackers, who arrived in large numbers on motorcycles, stormed the community on Sunday morning, opening fire on residents, looting shops and forcing many villagers to flee into nearby forests.
Local sources disclosed that the gunmen were believed to have travelled from Bagega village in Zamfara State through Barayar Zaki in Bukkuyum Local Government Area before spending the night in Gizazza village ahead of the attack.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, said the assailants invaded the community between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and immediately began shooting indiscriminately.
“They started shooting as soon as they arrived. People ran in different directions to escape, but 17 people were killed during the attack,” the resident said.
Among those reportedly killed were Munde, Nagoma, Abdullahi, Danbala, Munden Chana, Muhammadu Dan Amo, Hassan, Abubakar Danbaba and Yidi Bafillace.
Residents said five of the victims were visitors from Adarawa in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, while two others had travelled from Gidan Gambo in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State to celebrate Sallah with relatives.
According to eyewitnesses, the bandits remained in the community for several hours, preventing residents from retrieving the bodies of victims or conducting burials until late in the evening.
“They stayed in the area until about 7 p.m., making it impossible for anyone to come out. Funeral prayers were eventually held after 9:30 p.m. when they left,” another resident said.
The attackers were also reported to have looted about 20 shops before moving through neighbouring communities, including Kukoki and Birnin Magaji, where several residents were allegedly abducted.
Sources, however, said the abductees later escaped during a heavy rainstorm that reportedly caused confusion among the gunmen.
The attack has triggered fresh displacement in the area, with many residents fleeing Dangulbi and surrounding communities for safer locations in Tureta, Shagari, Gummi and Bukkuyum local government areas.
Community members have appealed to both the federal and state governments to strengthen security presence in the area and improve road infrastructure, which they said often hampers the swift deployment of security personnel during emergencies.
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks recorded in the region, raising concerns over the deteriorating security situation and its potential impact on farming activities as the rainy season approaches.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed awareness of the incident and said security operatives were working to restore calm and prevent further attacks.
