Despite being alerted of an imminent attack, there was no security presence in the Lugu town, Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State as notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has reportedly killed 11 farmers of the community.
The attack took place in the early hours of Wednesday as Turji and his men were returning from a Sallah visit.
Basharu Altine Giyawa, a resident of Isa, confirmed the killings, revealing that locals had been aware of Turji’s planned visit to Gatawa in Sabon Birni Local Government Area since Saturday.
He lamented that despite alerting security agencies about the bandit leader’s movements, no effective response was made.
“Yesterday, Turji and his men left Fakai, his village in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. They passed through several communities in Isa before attending their Sallah celebrations. On their way back, they brutally killed 11 farmers,” Punch Online quoted Giyawa as saying.
He attributed the attack to the failure of security operatives to act on intelligence provided by residents.
Confirming the incident, local security official Sani Abubakar said security personnel had received reports of Turji’s movement but denied that he celebrated Sallah in any community under his jurisdiction.
“Yes, we got intelligence about the planned visit to the eastern part of Gatawa and took action. We deployed security measures in Sabon Birni to prevent his entry. This may have been why he directed his anger at innocent farmers in Isa,” he said.
Another account revealed that Turji had stopped in Tozai village, where he killed the leader of a local vigilante group before continuing his journey.
When contacted, Sokoto State Police Command spokesman ASP Ahmad Rufa’i said only the military could confirm the attack, as they were responsible for security operations in the area.
Efforts to get a response from the Nigerian Army were unsuccessful, as the Coordinator of the Joint Media Coordination Centre, Operation Hadarin Daji, Lt Col. Abdullahi, could not be reached at the time of filing this report.
