Notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, has allegedly killed 11 farmers in Lugu town, Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.The attack took place early Wednesday as Turji and his men were returning from a Sallah visit.
Basharu Altine Giyawa, a resident of Isa, confirmed the killings, stating that locals had been aware of Turji’s movements since Saturday. According to him, security agencies were alerted but failed to take effective action.
“Turji and his men left Fakai in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, passed through multiple communities in Isa, and attended their Sallah celebrations. On their way back, they brutally killed 11 farmers,” Giyawa said.
He blamed the tragedy on the inaction of security forces despite receiving intelligence reports from residents.
Confirming the incident, a local security officer, Sani Abubakar, acknowledged that authorities had received information about Turji’s movement. However, he denied claims that the bandit leader had celebrated Sallah in the area.
“We received intelligence about his planned visit to Gatawa and took preventive measures in Sabon Birni. This might have led him to vent his frustration on innocent farmers in Isa,” Abubakar stated.
Reports also indicate that Turji stopped in Tozai village, where he killed the leader of a local vigilante group before continuing his journey.
When contacted, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, said only the military could confirm the attack, as they were responsible for security operations in the area.
Efforts to reach the Nigerian Army for comments were unsuccessful, as Lt. Col. Abdullahi, Coordinator of the Joint Media Coordination Centre, Operation Hadarin Daji, was unavailable at the time of reporting.
