Bandits Loyal to Bello Turji Sack Sokoto Communities, Including Ex-Governor’s Hometown

By Fred Ezeh, Abuja

Violent Displacement in Sokoto State

Bandits affiliated with notorious warlord Bello Turji have forcibly displaced residents from six communities in Sokoto State’s Isa Local Government Area. Among the affected areas is Bafarawa, the hometown of former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa.

According to BBC Hausa Service, the armed attackers stormed the communities over the weekend, issuing ultimatums for immediate evacuation or facing execution. Other impacted villages include Galadima, Sulawa, and several others within Isa LGA.

Escalating Territorial Ambitions

An anonymous resident revealed that the attacks suggest Turji’s growing territorial ambitions in the region. “The brutality indicates their leader is expanding his control, with Isa communities now targeted,” the source explained.

The violent raids resulted in eight fatalities and left more than 20 people seriously injured.

Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds

Displaced residents have sought refuge in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps across Shinkafi, Isa, and neighboring areas. A grieving mother from Bafarawa shared her tragic account with BBC Hausa Service: “They killed my three-month-old son and stole our money, food, and valuables.” She added that over 100 communities in the region have fallen victim to bandit attacks.

Government Response

Halilu Habibu Modachi, Isa constituency representative in the Sokoto State House of Assembly, confirmed alerting security agencies about the crisis. He called for immediate intervention from state and local governments to provide essential supplies including food, water, and shelter for the displaced populations.

These attacks represent the latest escalation in northwestern Nigeria’s ongoing banditry crisis, with Turji’s faction increasingly targeting Sokoto and surrounding regions.

Full credit to the original publisher: The Sun Nigeria