Sokoto communities deserted over bandits’ attacks

No fewer than 28 villages have been deserted following sustained attacks by bandits, particularly groups loyal to notorious kingpin Bello Turji, in Tidibale village and the surrounding communities of Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Sources told Daily Trust that the attacks forced residents to flee their homes and relocate to Isa town, the local government headquarters, where they are currently taking shelter as internally displaced persons (IDPs) at a public secondary school and other temporary locations.

The affected villages include: Mansalo, Tidibale Dangulbi, Tuwon Takawa, Yar kurori, Dogon Bedi, Jimbama, Gidan-Rana, Kwannawa, Tafkin Gabas, Gidan-Kara, Chohi, Yisirawa, Duma, Tagirke, Adarawa and Gidan Dikko, among others.

The displaced residents said they have left their villages to save their lives due to killings, kidnapping, imposition of illegal levies and repeated attacks by bandits in their communities.

An IDP, who preferred not to be named, said, “We run away from our villages to save our lives. Bandits from different camps kept imposing huge levies on us. Whenever they entered our villages, they killed, kidnapped and wounded people.”

He added that normal life had completely collapsed in the affected communities.

“We have no shops, we cannot pray freely in our mosques, and we have no livestock. Even when a child is born, there is no animal to slaughter,” he said.

Another resident from Kwangami village said the crisis worsened due to years of forced payments to bandits.

“For almost four years, households were made to contribute N3,000 every week. At times, we paid between N1 million and N4 million as levies,” he said.

According to him, despite the payments, seven residents are currently being held by the bandits.

He alleged that the latest displacement followed accusations by the bandits that villagers collaborated with security operatives after some members of Turji’s camp were killed.

“They accused us of working with security agents. How can we call security operatives when we don’t even have access to them?” he asked.

A resident of Isa town, who requested anonymity, confirmed the influx of displaced persons from Tidibale, Tsabre, Kurar Mota and Girnashe communities, saying many had fled in anticipation of reprisal attacks.

“Some days ago, soldiers and vigilantes on routine patrol around Tidibale encountered and killed some bandits loyal to Turji. After that, residents of Tidibale and neighbouring communities started leaving their homes for fear that the bandits would retaliate,” the source said.

He added that many of the displaced persons had relocated to Isa town, with some taking shelter in schools.

“As I speak to you, our town is overcrowded,” he said.

Another displaced resident said the scale of displacement was massive, claiming that over 10,000 people had fled the Tidibale axis, while dozens of vehicles were mobilised to evacuate residents from remaining villages.

“We used more than 200 vehicles to transport our families. The bandits did not allow us to carry foodstuffs or essential belongings,” he said.

At the IDPs camp, the displaced residents complained of poor living conditions and lack of food and other support from the government and other individuals.

He added that apart from a private individual, identified as Amadu Sani, who donated 100 bags of maize and some cassava flour, no other assistance had been received.

“Many people did not even get anything from the food that was shared,” he said.

Another resident from Chohi village, who arrived at the camp on Tuesday evening, lamented the lack of accommodation and proper shelter.

“We don’t have enough space. Even the classrooms are already filled. Many people are roaming around the streets of Isa because they have nowhere else to go,” he said.

A security analyst from Isa, Alhaji Basharu Altine Guyawa, attributed the exodus to a recent ultimatum allegedly issued by Turji, ordering residents to vacate their communities or face death.

According to Guyawa, Turji reportedly threatened the affected communities and killed three residents of Tidibale who refused to leave, insisting the area was their ancestral home.

He explained that the development prompted the chairman of the local government area to facilitate the relocation of the displaced residents to Isa town for their safety.

Another security analyst in Sokoto, Bashir Guyawa Isa, said the repeated displacement in the Tidibale axis was due to the absence of security operatives, noting that armed groups often regroup once troops withdraw from the area.

Isa said, “Without putting in place proper measures to curtail the menace of insecurity in the area, displaced residents would remain reluctant to go back to their villages”.

When contacted, the spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, confirmed the development, saying the command was awaiting a detailed briefing from the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area.

The Special Adviser to the Sokoto State Governor on Security, Lt. Col. Ahmed Usman Rtd, did not respond to request for comment.

Bandits overran 2 wards in my constituency

– Sokoto lawmaker

A member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Hon. Habibu Halilu Modachi, has raised the alarm that bandits have overrun three wards in Isa Local Government Area, forcing residents to flee their homes.

Modachi, who represents the Isa constituency, spoke a few days after reports of a mass exodus from several communities in the area, attributing the displacement to persistent bandit attacks.

“Right now, three of my wards are deserted due to banditry. All the communities in these wards are empty,” the lawmaker told our reporter via phone on Tuesday.

He lamented that residents of Isa and neighbouring Sabon Birni Local Government Area were living in constant fear, insisting that claims of improved security in the areas were misleading.

“Anybody who tells you that the security situation in Isa and Sabon Birni has improved is either not from these areas or is lying for personal reasons. There is no improvement at all. Our people are living in perpetual fear because they can be attacked at any time,” he said.

Modachi cited a recent attack on the Bargaja community, where bandits reportedly killed two people, including the elder brother of a Sokoto State High Court judge, and abducted four others.

He called on security agencies to intensify their efforts and respond more promptly to distress calls.

“We want our security operatives to live up to their responsibilities. They should respond swiftly whenever there is an alert,” he said.

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