Following banditry attack on Dangulbi village, Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State killing 20 people, there has been mass Exodus in the community for fear of repeated attacks.
The gunmen stroke on Sunday, leaving scores of residents displaced as gunmen reportedly stormed the community in large numbers, shooting indiscriminately, looting shops and forcing villagers to flee into nearby forests.
A prominent religious leader in Tureta Local Government who spoke on phone with our Correspondent pleading anonymity said “the whole of Dangulbi is empty now, most people had to sleep in the forest since on Monday and Tuesday nights and some are moving towards the township settlement. So far no maximum security, the area is too big for security men to cover everywhere and our people don’t have enough weapons to fight back so the best solution is to run, amongst those killed also include 7 visitors who came to the village to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir with loved ones, the terrorists came from Bagega village in Zamfara State navigating through Barayar Zaki in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of same Zamfara then taking shelter for the night in Gizazza village closed to Dangulbi before launching the attack as early as 10 to 11am in the morning.”
Residents said many of those killed were visitors who had travelled to the community for the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations. Among the victims were men, women and youths caught in the surprise assault.
“They started shooting immediately they entered the village. People ran in different directions, but many could not escape,” the resident said.
Sources alleged that the assailants had moved through neighbouring communities before converging on Dangulbi, where they carried out the attack and looted several shops. Some residents were reportedly abducted during the raid, although several later escaped amid confusion caused by a heavy rainstorm.
The attack triggered a mass exodus from Dangulbi and nearby settlements, with many residents seeking refuge in safer communities across Tureta and neighbouring local government areas.
Community leaders have called on the Federal Government and Sokoto State Government to strengthen security presence in the area, warning that repeated attacks are threatening livelihoods and disrupting farming activities ahead of the rainy season.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed awareness of the incident and said security agencies were working to restore normalcy and prevent further attacks.
The latest assault adds to growing concerns over the worsening security situation in parts of Sokoto State, where rural communities continue to face recurring attacks by armed groups despite ongoing security operations.
