Turji-Linked Gang Strikes Sokoto, Kills Two, Abducts Eleven

The ongoing security crisis gripping Nigeria’s North-West region intensified overnight as armed bandits allegedly loyal to the notorious kingpin Bello Turji launched a deadly assault on the Kurawa community in Sabon-Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The devastating raid left two residents dead and resulted in the abduction of eleven others, escalating the cycle of fear and violence plaguing the region.

The attack, which occurred on Wednesday night, was disclosed by a conflict and crisis journalist, Bakatsine, who covers the volatile insecurity in Nigeria’s North-West. According to the report shared on X, the assailants, identified as operatives of the Turji network, not only killed two people but also injured two other residents during the nocturnal strike. The victims of the mass abduction included one man and ten women, painting a grim picture of the targeting of vulnerable community members.

This latest incident underscores the relentless siege being faced by the Sokoto East Senatorial District, which continues to experience near-daily assaults from various bandit groups. Despite reassurances and intensified military operations aimed at neutralizing high-profile figures like Bello Turji—whom the Nigerian military has previously and publicly described as a “dead man walking”—his network’s capacity to launch coordinated, lethal attacks remains disturbingly intact.

Sabon-Birni Local Government Area, which borders Niger Republic, has historically been one of the worst-affected areas, suffering from pervasive banditry that includes mass killings, kidnapping for ransom, and the destruction of properties. The persistent insecurity has severely crippled the social and economic fabric of the region, disrupting education, restricting the movement of people, and leading to the displacement of thousands who flee across the border into Niger for safety.

Residents of Kurawa and surrounding communities are now trapped in a cycle of persistent fear and helplessness as local and federal authorities continue to struggle to curb the escalating violence. The ability of a group linked to a wanted kingpin like Turji to operate with such impunity raises urgent questions about the effectiveness of current security strategies and the government’s efforts to restore stability to the troubled Sokoto East Senatorial District.