Insecurity
Notorious Bandit Leader Bello Turji Launches Fresh Attack To Seize Villages In Sokoto
During the attack, the bandits reportedly ordered residents to vacate the community, warning that anyone who defied the ultimatum would face severe consequences.
Sokoto State– Notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji, has launched a fresh wave of violent attacks aimed at seizing control of several communities in Sokoto State’s eastern district, beginning with a brutal raid on Tidibale village in Isa Local Government Area (LGA) on Monday night.
Afrika Eyes gathered that heavily armed fighters loyal to Turji stormed Tidibale, firing sporadically.
During the attack, the bandits reportedly ordered residents to vacate the community, warning that anyone who defied the ultimatum would face severe consequences.
Many residents were forced to flee into nearby bushes and neighbouring villages, abandoning their homes, farmlands and livestock for fear of being killed or abducted.
Afrika Eyes gathered that the attack on Tidibale is not an isolated incident. A security alert issued by Bakatsine, a local security monitoring platform, revealed that Bargaja village, also in Isa LGA, was targeted days earlier by the same group.
According to the alert, the raid on Bargaja aligns with Turji’s previously declared intention to assert dominance over a large portion of the district.
The Bakatsine alert warned residents and authorities that the bandit leader is gradually expanding his influence, using threats, forced displacement and violence to establish territorial control.
Bello Turji, one of the most feared bandit leaders in north-western Nigeria, has long been linked to mass killings, kidnappings for ransom, cattle rustling and large-scale displacement of rural communities across Sokoto, Zamfara and neighbouring states.
Despite repeated military operations and government assurances, Turji and his fighters have continued to operate with deadly efficiency in remote areas.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from the Sokoto State Government or security agencies regarding the latest raids.
Residents, however, are calling for urgent military intervention to prevent Bello Turji from consolidating control over more villages in the area.
