ARMED men loyal to notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji have launched a fresh assault on Garki village in Sokoto State, abducting 16 residents, killing one, and rustling several livestock despite ongoing claims of peace deal with government mediators.
News Point Nigeria reports that the attack, which occurred on Wednesday evening, was reportedly led by one of Turji’s most trusted lieutenants, Kallamu and some other of his men.
Witnesses said the gunmen arrived in large numbers, firing indiscriminately to create panic before rounding up hostages and stealing livestock.
“They came in large numbers, took away 16 people, killed one man, and rustled several livestock. They also shot three people who are now receiving treatment at a hospital in Sokoto,” a resident recounted.
Security expert Zagazola Makama, who confirmed the incident on Wednesday, said the operation appeared well-coordinated and was consistent with Turji’s past tactics, using fear and sudden strikes to maintain dominance in rural communities.
The raid has raised fresh doubts about the sincerity of Turji’s much-publicised dialogue with some islamic clerics and govt negotiators.
Security sources told this News Point Nigeria that the latest attack underscores the unreliability of Turji’s promises.
“Bello Turji has repeatedly used so-called peace talks as a cover to regroup, resupply, and expand his influence,” one security source said.
“He cannot be trusted because every time there’s dialogue, his men continue to attack, abduct, and kill.”
According to intelligence reports available to this News Point Nigeria, Turji’s network remains active across Isa, Sabon Birni, and Goronyo axes, with many fighters reportedly engaged in cross-border trafficking between Nigeria and Niger Republic.
The Sokoto raid is the latest in a series of violent incidents involving Turji’s loyalists, who have been linked to mass kidnappings, extortion, and attacks on security personnel in the region.
In recent years, the Turji’s name has become synonymous with terror in rural Sokoto and Zamfara, where bandit gangs operate with alarming impunity.
While the government has repeatedly explored dialogue as a means to end the violence, critics argue that past peace agreements have only emboldened criminal networks, allowing them to regroup and rearm.
Residents of Garki say they now live in constant fear, with many considering relocation to safer areas.
Calls are growing for a decisive military operation to dismantle Turji’s network once and for all.
As of press time, security forces had not announced any arrests in connection with the attack, and the whereabouts of the abducted victims remain unknown.