Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A wave of terror swept through the Lajinge community in the Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State on the night of Tuesday, 7 July 2026, as suspected bandits loyal to the notorious kingpin Bello Turji launched a deadly assault, killing at least five residents and abducting several women. The attack, which has left the community in shock and fear, was disclosed in a post shared on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, by conflict reporter Bakatsine via his X handle.
According to reports, the heavily armed assailants stormed the Gajit settlement in the Lajinge District, operating under the cover of darkness. Dozens of gunmen on motorcycles descended upon the vulnerable farming community, establishing a perimeter to prevent escape before opening fire indiscriminately on fleeing civilians. The tactical raid resulted in the immediate deaths of five residents. Eight other individuals sustained severe gunshot wounds and were subsequently transported to local medical facilities for emergency surgical intervention.
In addition to the killings, the militants systematically moved through the village, identifying and abducting a large group of women. While the exact number of those taken away has not yet been confirmed, some reports estimate that over 20 women were kidnapped and dragged into the surrounding forests to be held for exorbitant ransom demands. The fate of those abducted remains unclear, a development that has triggered fears and anxiety among residents of the community over their safety and the possibility of further attacks.
Beyond the immediate human toll, the raid inflicted catastrophic economic damage on the agrarian communities of Sabon Birni. Before retreating into the bush, the Turji loyalists engaged in wholesale economic sabotage, rustling a massive number of cattle, sheep, and goats, which serve as the primary store of wealth for the pastoralist population. They also looted homes for cash and valuables.
This assault is the latest in a series of relentless attacks allegedly linked to Bello Turji and his fighters, which have continued to leave many communities in the area living in fear, forcing residents to flee their homes while causing repeated loss of lives and property. Turji, a ruthless militant commander who has effectively established a parallel state across the Sokoto, Zamfara, and Niger borders, has achieved national infamy for his brutal tactics. Despite numerous military offensives and targeted airstrikes, Turji has continuously evaded capture, utilising the dense, ungoverned forest reserves as an impenetrable fortress.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had not officially confirmed the incident or issued any official statement on the reported attack. Conflict reporter Bakatsine, reflecting the despair of the affected communities, posed a poignant question: "How long will these communities continue to endure this cycle of terror without a decisive end to the attacks?". The psychological terror inflicted by these raids achieves a specific strategic objective: the total depopulation of fertile agricultural zones, which directly precipitates severe food shortages across the state.
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