BREAKING: Bello Turji terrorists kill dozens, abduct women
A group of terrorists, locally dubbed as bandits loyal to notorious warlord, Bello Turji, have launched another deadly raid on Bargaja village in the Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The attack left several people dead and at least 10 others — mostly young women — abducted.
A security journalist and source, Bakastine, who confirmed the incident, said the attack occurred on Friday night, throwing the quiet rural community into panic and mourning.
“Yesterday night, bandits loyal to Bello Turji stormed Bargaja village in Isa LGA, Sokoto State, leaving several people dead. One person was seriously injured and at least 10 residents mostly young women were abducted,” he said.
The journalist described the incident as another grim reminder of the “continuing threat of bandit violence across northwest Nigeria,” noting that rural communities like Bargaja are often left vulnerable with “little warning or protection.”
According to him, the attackers rode into the community on motorcycles, shooting sporadically and setting houses on fire. Many residents reportedly fled into nearby bushes to escape the assault.
Bakastine further noted that “the residents are urging authorities to intensify security patrols and rescue efforts for the abducted victims.”
The attack adds to the long list of atrocities linked to Bello Turji’s faction, which has been terrorising parts of Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina States despite ongoing military operations in the region.
Meanwhile, controversial Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, earlier defended the bandits terrorising northern Nigeria, claiming they are on “revenge missions” rather than waging unprovoked violence.
Gumi, who has consistently courted public outrage over his sympathy for terrorists, made the remarks during an interview on Trust TV on Friday which Naija News House monitored, where he argued that the Fulani herdsmen and bandit groups “do not attack people without any cause.”
“The former governor of Bauchi State, Yuguda, was able also to go with a government delegation into the bush and they met more than 5,000 bandits. They are all complaining — those who have lost their parents, those who have lost their brothers, those from hostility too,” Gumi said.
While admitting that the killings carried out by bandits were “wrong and obnoxious,” the cleric maintained that the attackers were motivated by grievances and vengeance, not sheer brutality.
“Yes, I know they have killed, and it’s wrong to kill anybody innocent. This is absolutely an obnoxious thing to do. We don’t support that. But you see, if you know their psychology, they are on a revenge mission,” he said.
Gumi, who has long advocated amnesty and negotiation for bandits, further claimed that Fulani herdsmen have lived peacefully with other ethnic groups for centuries and are only reacting to injustices they suffered.
