BREAKING: Bandits Loyal To Bello Turji Displace Six Sokoto Communities, Including Ex-Governor’s Hometown
Residents of six communities in Isa Local Government Area (LGA) of Sokoto State, including Bafarawa, the hometown of former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa, have been forcibly displaced by bandits loyal to notorious leader Bello Turji.
Naija News reports that the attacks, which took place over the weekend, have left the area in chaos, with reports of fatalities and widespread destruction.
According to BBC Hausa Service, the bandits invaded the affected communities, ordering residents to vacate immediately or face execution. The targeted communities included Galadima, Sulawa, and several others within Isa LGA.
A local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, suggested that the attacks were part of Turji’s strategy to seize more territory in the region.
“The brutal actions of the bandits indicate that their leader is considering acquiring more territory, with communities in Isa in his sights,” the resident claimed.
The assaults resulted in eight deaths and more than 20 serious injuries. In response to the violence, displaced residents have sought refuge in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps located in Shinkafi, Isa, and other nearby areas.
A woman from Bafarawa shared a harrowing account with BBC Hausa Service, revealing that her three-month-old son was killed by the bandits, who also looted money, food, and valuables from her home.
She further stated that over 100 communities in the area have been sacked by the bandits, leaving residents in fear and uncertainty.
The lawmaker representing Isa constituency in the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Halilu Habibu Modachi, confirmed the severity of the situation and stated that he had alerted security officials to immediate intervention.
He also called on state and local governments to provide essential aid such as food, water, and shelter for the displaced people.
The attacks are part of a broader escalation of banditry in northwestern Nigeria, with Turji’s group intensifying its violent campaigns in Sokoto and other neighboring regions.