Notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has imposed a levy of N22 million on four villages in Sokoto State following the death of one of his men during a military operation. The levy is intended as compensation for firearms lost during the incident.
The affected villages include Garin Idi, the hometown of Sokoto’s deputy governor, Engineer Idris Gobir. According to local representative Hon. Aminu Boza, Turji has relocated to the eastern part of the Isa local government area, where he negotiated the levy down from N25 million.
Boza criticized the military for not maintaining their operations in the eastern Sokoto region, asserting that the local communities suffer when military presence diminishes. He highlighted ongoing bandit attacks, including a recent incident where six members of the Sokoto Community Guards were killed.
In addition to the levy, Turji has reportedly demanded N250,000 ransom from families of 13 worshippers abducted two weeks ago in Sabon Birni local government. So far, five captives have been released after their families paid the ransom.
Boza called for intensified military action in the region to restore peace and security for the villagers.
