Bandits have k!lled the Chief Imam of Talluje village in Bodinga Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The attack, which began at about 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 targeted the Talluje and Chofi communities in Danchadi District and lasted for nearly two hours.
The attack also left two other residents d3ad and forced hundreds of people by fleeing their homes.
This brings to three the number of Chief Imams reportedly k!lled by bandits in Sokoto State within the past few weeks.
Local sources told Daily Trust that the assailants launched coordinated attacks on both communities simultaneously, shooting indiscriminately before fleeing with an unspecified number of rustled livestock.
“The attacks started around 4:00 p.m. and continued until about 6:00 p.m. The bandits k!lled the Chief Imam of Talluje and two other persons whose identities have yet to be confirmed,” a community leader in Danchadi said.
He added that the attacks triggered mass displacement, with residents, mostly women and children, fleeing on foot to safer areas in Danchadi and Bodinga town.
“As I speak, many people are arriving in our communities carrying their belongings after escaping from the affected villages,” the source said.
Another resident confirmed that the attackers also rustled a large number of livestock, although the exact figure could not be immediately verified.
A senior police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the attack and the k!lling of the Chief Imam.
“We have received reports of the attack and have mobilized our anti-kidnapping unit to the area because there are fears the bandits may return,” the officer said.
According to residents, the attackers entered the communities through Duma village, which shares a border with Tureta Local Government Area, riding on motorcycles.