Communities across Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State are experiencing fresh waves of violent attacks by armed bandits suspected to be operating under notorious gang leader Bello Turji, forcing thousands of residents to abandon their ancestral homes.
The Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed that the latest assault on Bargaja village in the southern part of Isa LGA left two persons dead and an unspecified number of villagers in captivity.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmed Rufai, disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday, explaining that a comprehensive report was still being awaited from the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area.
“We can confirm two fatalities and some abductions, though the exact figure of those kidnapped remains uncertain at this time. A detailed account will be made available once the DPO forwards his situation report,” Rufai stated.
Intelligence reports and accounts from eyewitnesses suggested that Bargaja had come under similar attacks in preceding days, forming part of what security sources described as a calculated effort by Turji’s network to extend territorial dominance over remote settlements straddling the Sokoto-Zamfara boundary.
The region’s vulnerability stems largely from its closeness to ungoverned forest reserves and farmlands long abandoned due to insecurity.
Investigations revealed that notwithstanding repeated pledges by security apparatus and political officeholders, rural dwellers in Isa, Sabon Birni, and communities in eastern Sokoto continue to endure raids, kidnappings, and forced migration.
During the weekend, displaced villagers from Tidibale ward were observed trooping into Isa town, lamenting what they termed a “complete breakdown” of security architecture in their localities.
“Tidibale ward has been completely ravaged by Bello Turji,” one resident told newsmen in a statement made available to our correspondent.
He appealed to authorities at federal, state, and council levels to intervene swiftly, warning that ordinary citizens were becoming “refugees within their own nation.”
Community heads further revealed that out of the 10 political wards constituting Isa LGA, only a handful remain operational, with others either partly deserted or under the influence of armed elements.
The mass exodus from villages has sparked fears of long-term instability and threats to agricultural productivity in the area.
Residents voiced frustration over what they termed the failure of security operatives to reclaim abandoned settlements, questioning how bandits sustain their presence despite entire villages being emptied.
Security commentator Mallam Bashar Altine, an indigene of Isa LGA, described the development as “extremely disturbing,” disclosing that displaced persons are currently sheltering in public school buildings and makeshift camps in Isa town, while others have moved to Sabon Birni or sought refuge across the border in Niger Republic.
Altine confirmed that Turji “remains active” and continues coordinating operations in Isa and adjoining communities.
Professor Muazu Alhaji Shamaki, a demography scholar at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, has urged the government to take immediate action to halt further humanitarian and security crises.
DSP Rufai reaffirmed that the police command was expecting comprehensive field reports from its officers and promised to release official findings upon completion.