Bello Turji’s Loyalists Kill Village Head, Chief Imam, in Sokoto Community, Forces Mass Exodus -

By Mustapha Muhammad Tukur

Daily Star Nigeria reports that armed bandits allegedly loyal to notorious kingpin Bello Turji have launched a deadly attack on Magarau village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing the village head and the community’s chief Imam, and forcing residents to flee en masse.

The assault, which has left the once-thriving rural community deserted, also claimed the life of the local vigilante leader, further weakening community self-defence efforts in the area.

A disturbing video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by security expert Bakatsine, obtained by Daily Star Nigeria, shows abandoned homes, damaged property and eerie silence across the village following the attack.

In the footage, the narrator draws attention to the ruins of the late village head’s residence, lamenting the scale of 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,” the narrator said.
The video also captures the locked and empty house of the slain vigilante commander.

“This locked and empty house belongs to the head of the local vigilantes; he was also killed by the bandits,” the narrator added.
Residents, gripped by fear, were said to have fled the village, abandoning their homes and livelihoods, as Magarau effectively became a ghost settlement overnight.

The Magarau attack is the latest in a string of violent incidents linked to armed groups across northern Nigeria, as insecurity continues to worsen in the North-West, North-Central and North-East regions, raising renewed concerns over the safety of rural communities and the pace of security response.