Residents flee Sokoto community as bandits kill traditional ruler, religious leaders

 

Residents of Magarau in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State have abandoned the settlement after bandits allegedly loyal to notorious kingpin Bello Turji killed the village head, the chief Imam and other community figures.

The once-busy community is now deserted, with houses left empty and property destroyed following the assault.

A video shared online by security analyst Bakatsine captured the aftermath of the attack, showing the state of the village after the violence.

The narrator in the video pointed to the residence of the late village head while describing the extent of the destruction.

“I hope the general public can see; this is what is left of the house of the late village head of Magarau, who was killed by armed bandits,” he said.

“This is the centre of the village and you will not find anyone here, not even an animal. They were displaced while many others were killed.”

Footage also showed the abandoned home of the late chief Imam.

According to the narrator, several buildings were damaged and properties looted during the attack.

“Also, as you can see in this video, that is the deserted house of the late chief Imam of Magarau, who was also killed by the bandits. Houses were demolished and food items were carted away. And the entire village is now empty; no one is living there,” he said.

The video further captured the locked residence of the head of the local vigilante group, who was also killed in the attack.

The narrator said, “Also, the empty house that has been locked is the house of the head of local vigilantes; he was also killed by the bandits.”

The incident in Magarau comes amid a series of violent attacks by armed groups across parts of the country.

Nigeria has been facing worsening security challenges, especially in the North Central, Northwest and Northeast regions.

In Kwara State, gunmen recently stormed the communities of Woro and Nuku, killing at least 162 people, according to the Red Cross and local authorities, with some estimates placing the death toll at about 170.

Homes and shops were burnt as residents fled into nearby bushland, in what has been described as one of the deadliest attacks of the year.

In Kaduna State, 166 worshippers abducted during raids on churches in Kajuru Local Government Area in mid-January have reportedly regained their freedom, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed. The kidnappings initially involved about 177 people, with 11 escaping shortly after the attacks.

Benue State has also witnessed organised attacks, resulting in several civilian deaths and severe disruption to rural communities.