No fewer than 17 people, including seven visitors who had travelled for the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, were reportedly killed when armed bandits attacked Dangulbi community in Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Residents said the attackers, numbering in the hundreds and riding on motorcycles, invaded the community on Sunday morning, firing indiscriminately, looting shops and forcing villagers to flee into nearby forests.
According to local sources, the assailants were believed to have moved 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 requested anonymity for security reasons, said the gunmen entered Dangulbi between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and immediately opened fire on residents.
“They started shooting as soon as they arrived. People ran in different directions in search of safety, but 17 people lost their lives during the attack,” the source said.
Among those killed were identified as Munde, Nagoma, Abdullahi, Danbala, Munden Chana, Muhammadu Dan Amo, Hassan, Abubakar Danbaba and Yidi Bafillace.
The resident disclosed that 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 for the Sallah celebrations.
According to residents, the bandits remained in the community for several hours after the attack, preventing villagers from recovering and burying the dead until late in the evening.
“They stayed until about 7 p.m., making it impossible for anyone to come out. Funeral prayers were eventually conducted after 9:30 p.m. when they left,” the source added.
Residents further alleged that the attackers looted about 20 shops before moving through nearby communities, including Kukoki and Birnin Magaji, where several people were reportedly abducted.
The abductees were said to have escaped later in the night after a heavy rainstorm created confusion among their captors.
Many residents have since fled Dangulbi and surrounding communities, seeking refuge in safer areas across Tureta, Shagari, Gummi and Bukkuyum local government areas.
Locals appealed to both the federal and state governments to urgently deploy additional security personnel and improve road infrastructure in the area, arguing that poor access roads often delay security responses and leave communities vulnerable to repeated attacks.
The latest incident adds to a series of deadly attacks that have recently plagued communities in the area, raising concerns over the worsening security situation and its potential impact on farming activities ahead of the rainy season.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Sokoto State Police Command confirmed awareness of the incident and stated that security operatives were working to restore normalcy and contain the situation.