No fewer than 17 people, including seven Sallah visitors, were killed on Sunday, June 1, 2026, following a violent attack on Dangulbi community in Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State. Residents reported that the attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons and riding on about 150 motorcycles, stormed the village in broad daylight, opening fire and looting shops.
Attackers' Route Before the Assault
According to eyewitnesses who spoke to Dailytrust, the bandits departed from Bagega village in Zamfara State, believed to be one of their major hideouts. They moved through Barayar Zaki in Bukkuyum Local Government Area before spending the night in Gizazza village.
“We received information about their movement on Saturday. They came from Bagega and passed through Barayar Zaki before reaching Gizazza. Usually, whenever they want to attack our communities, they spend the night there and move in the following morning,” a resident said.
Victims of the Attack
The attackers entered Dangulbi between 10am and 11am, firing indiscriminately. Among the victims were Munde, Nagoma, Abdullahi, Danbala, Munden Chana, Muhammadu Dan Amo, Hassan, Abubakar Danbaba and Yidi Bafillace. Five of the deceased were visitors from Adarawa in Gummi LGA of Zamfara State, while two others came from Gidan Gambo in Shagari LGA, making a total of seven visitors killed.
Community in Fear
Residents said the bandits remained in the community until evening, preventing funeral rites. “They stayed in the village and nobody could come out to bury the dead bodies. It was only after about 7pm when they finally left that residents returned. Funeral prayers for the victims were eventually conducted after 9:30pm,” one source explained. About 20 shops were looted, and many villagers fled into nearby forests.
After leaving Dangulbi, the attackers abducted residents in Kukoki and Birnin Magaji, demanding petrol for their motorcycles. However, a rainstorm later that night allowed the captives to escape. Despite this, the bandits reportedly returned on Monday morning, continuing their attacks in neighbouring villages.
Calls for Government Intervention
Residents appealed to both the federal and Sokoto State governments to urgently deploy more security personnel. “We have been suffering repeated attacks for a long time, yet we hardly get the support we need. If urgent action is not taken, our people may not even be able to go to their farms this season,” one resident said. Another highlighted poor road infrastructure as a major challenge, stressing that better roads would improve security response times.
The spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command confirmed awareness of the incident, stating that security operatives were “on top of the situation.”
Broader Context of Insecurity
This attack is part of a series of violent incidents in the region. In a separate event, gunmen invaded the Ayegunle Bunu community in Kogi State, killing two persons and kidnapping several others. The armed men blocked the highway linking the town to neighbouring areas in the early hours of Monday, June 1, 2026. Residents said the gunmen opened fire on arrival, causing panic as the people fled for safety.
