Communities in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State are reeling from renewed bandit attacks, believed to be linked to gunmen loyal to the notorious bandit leader Bello Turji.
The violence has forced residents to flee en masse, raising concerns over the expanding influence of armed groups along the Sokoto–Zamfara axis.
The Sokoto State Police Command confirmed that two people were killed and an unknown number abducted during the latest attack in Bargaja village in southern Isa LGA.
DSP Ahmed Rufai, the command’s spokesman, said a fuller account would follow once the Divisional Police Officer submits his field report.
“Two were killed and some people were kidnapped, but we don’t yet have the exact number,” DSP Rufai said on Tuesday. “We will get fuller details from the DPO of the local government.”
Eyewitnesses and security alerts indicate that Bargaja had already been targeted days before the confirmed attack.
Sources say the raids are part of an ongoing campaign aimed at expanding Turji’s control over vulnerable rural settlements connecting Sokoto and Zamfara States.
The area has long been a corridor for armed activity due to its proximity to unpoliced forests and abandoned farmlands.
We gathered that despite repeated assurances from security agencies and government officials, rural communities across Isa, Sabon Birni, and eastern Sokoto continue to face attacks, kidnappings, and forced displacement.
Over the weekend, displaced villagers from Tidibale ward were seen making their way into Isa town, describing the security situation in their communities as a “total collapse.”
“The whole of Tidibale ward has been devastated by Bello Turji,” a resident said in a statement circulated to journalists.
He called on federal, state, and local authorities to intervene, warning that civilians were becoming “refugees in their own land.”
Local leaders also noted that, of the 10 political wards in Isa LGA, only a few remain functional, with others partially deserted or under the control of armed elements.
The depopulation of villages is feared to threaten long-term stability and local food production.
Residents expressed frustration over what they describe as the inability of security forces to reclaim vacated communities, questioning how bandits continue to maintain a presence despite the mass exodus.
Security analyst Mallam Bashar Altine, a native of Isa LGA, described the situation as “deeply worrying,” confirming that many displaced residents are living in public schools and temporary shelters in Isa town, while others have relocated to neighbouring Sabon Birni or crossed into Niger Republic for safety.
Altine confirmed that Turji “is very much alive” and continues to operate in Isa and surrounding communities.
Professor Muazu Alhaji Shamaki, a demography expert at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, called on authorities to act urgently to prevent further humanitarian and security deterioration.
DSP Rufai reiterated that the police command is awaiting detailed feedback from its field officers and assured the media that official findings will be shared once compiled.
The renewed attacks in Isa highlight the persistence of banditry in North-West Nigeria, where communities continue to suffer farm disruptions, mass displacement, school abductions, and a shrinking civic presence due to insecurity.