From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Bandits loyal to notorious leader Bello Turji have forcibly displaced residents of six communities in Isa Local Government Area, Sokoto State, including Bafarawa, the hometown of former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa.
According to BBC Hausa Service, the bandits invaded the communities over the weekend, ordering residents to vacate immediately or face execution. Affected areas include Galadima, Sulawa, and several others in Isa LGA.
A resident, speaking anonymously, claimed the attacks suggest Turji aims to seize more territory in the region. According to him, the brutal actions of the bandits indicate that their leader is considering acquiring more territory, with communities in Isa in his sights.
The assaults resulted in eight deaths and over 20 serious injuries.
Displaced residents have fled to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Shinkafi, Isa, and other locations. A woman from Bafarawa told BBC Hausa Service that bandits killed her three-month-old son and looted money, food, and valuables. She added that over 100 communities in the area have been sacked by bandits.
Halilu Habibu Modachi, representing Isa constituency in the Sokoto State House of Assembly, confirmed he has alerted security officials for intervention. He urged state and local governments to provide food, water, and shelter for the displaced.
The attacks are part of the escalating banditry crisis in northwestern Nigeria, with Turji’s group intensifying violence and displacement in Sokoto and beyond.