Thousands of residents in eastern Sokoto State have fled their ancestral communities following a renewed wave of threats from notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji.
The mass displacement has particularly affected Tidibale, a farming community in Isa Local Government Area, where villagers are abandoning their homes, farmlands, and ripening crops in fear of violent reprisals.
Residents say panic spread after Turji, who reportedly survived a major military offensive in December, resurfaced with fresh warnings. According to locals, the bandit kingpin has vowed to unleash violence on communities that refuse to cooperate with his gang or report their activities to security agencies.
As fear grips Sokoto East, displaced families are moving into Isa and Gidan Hamisu towns, while others have crossed into Shinkafi Local Government Area of neighbouring Zamfara State in search of safety.
For many fleeing residents, the decision was a painful but necessary one.
“We left everything behind. Life is more important than crops,” a displaced villager said while trekking to a safer location.
Reports indicate that some communities in Shinkafi have entered into fragile truces with Turji, agreeing not to confront the bandits in order to avoid attacks. However, villages such as Tidibale, which have refused to submit to such arrangements, are now bearing the brunt of the threats.
Security sources say Turji’s renewed activities are concentrated in Isa, Sabon Birni, Goronyo, Wurno, and Rabah Local Government Areas—communities that have declined any form of “peace deal” with criminal groups.
Meanwhile, the escalation in banditry comes amid international efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security response. On Tuesday, the United States Government, through the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), delivered key military equipment to Nigerian security forces in Abuja to support ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
The support follows U.S.-led airstrikes carried out on Christmas Day against militant hideouts in parts of Sokoto State.
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