A few days after bandits’ leader Bello Turji attacked several communities in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, military troops have reportedly taken over the region to safeguard residents.
Turji’s followers were said to have invaded the Shinkafi Market, killing two traders and abducting multiple residents. The attacks followed Turji’s warning to target communities in Shinkafi on New Year’s Day if the military did not release his detained relatives by December 31, 2024. In a video released last week, Turji also threatened attacks on Zurmi communities in Zamfara and Isah in Sokoto State if his demands were not met.
This led some Fulani leaders from Shinkafi, Moriki, and Zurmi to organize a meeting with Turji to urge him to maintain peace. They reportedly pleaded with him to stop the killings and kidnappings, emphasizing the devastating impacts on Zamfara and neighboring Sokoto. The leaders warned that Turji’s planned attacks could provoke reprisals against innocent Fulani during market days.
Despite the peace efforts, bandits believed to be Turji’s followers ambushed travelers on December 31, 2024, near Chitti village in Shinkafi. According to a resident, the attackers kidnapped the occupants of two vehicles and set one of the vehicles ablaze.
On January 1, New Year’s Day, Turji’s gang allegedly struck again in Bafarawa, Isah Local Government Area of Sokoto State. Another attack occurred on January 2, 2025, during a market day in Shinkafi. Witnesses reported that bandits on motorcycles, armed with dangerous weapons, stormed the market, shooting sporadically. Two people were killed, and scores of traders were abducted.
The ongoing violence has forced villagers to avoid certain routes, including the Shinkafi-Gusau road, for fear of further attacks.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yazeed Abubakar, stated he could only comment after receiving approval from the state police commissioner, but no response was provided at the time of this report. Similarly, the spokesperson for the 1 Brigade Command Gusau, Lt-Col Abdullahi Abubakar, explained that only the Defence Headquarters could address the situation.
The escalating insecurity highlights the challenges posed by Turji’s gang and the continued plight of residents in Zamfara and Sokoto States. Efforts to achieve peace remain uncertain amid ongoing attacks and abductions.
