3rd April , 2025
News desk
Notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has reportedly killed 11 farmers in Lugu town, Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, while returning from a Sallah visit.
The attack, which took place in the early hours of Wednesday, followed Turji’s visit to the eastern part of Gatawa in Sabon Birni Local Government Area, a movement that locals had reportedly anticipated.
Basharu Altine Giyawa, a resident of Isa, confirmed the killings and criticized security agencies for failing to act on intelligence reports about Turji’s movements.
“Turji and his men left Fakai in Zamfara State and passed through several communities before attending Sallah celebrations. On their way back, they brutally killed 11 farmers,” Giyawa said.
A local security official, Sani Abubakar, also confirmed receiving intelligence on Turji’s movements and said security measures had been put in place in Sabon Birni to prevent his entry. However, he suggested that Turji may have taken out his frustration on the farmers in Isa.
Another report indicated that Turji stopped in Tozai village, where he allegedly killed the leader of a local vigilante group before continuing his journey.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Sokoto State Police Command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, stated that only the military could confirm the attack, as security operations in the area fell under their jurisdiction. Attempts to obtain a response from the Nigerian Army were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
