Banditry: Victims’ families petition Tinubu, seek probe of Ex-Zamfara, Sokoto Governors. By Abibu Shehu Ibrahim
Banditry: Victims’ families petition Tinubu, seek probe of Ex-Zamfara, Sokoto Governors
A coalition of families shattered by years of relentless banditry in Northwest Nigeria has petitioned President Bola Tinubu, calling on him to order a comprehensive investigation into grave allegations made by notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, against two former governors of Zamfara and Sokoto states.
The group, operating under the banner of the Coalition of Families Affected by Banditry, said it represents thousands of victims who have lost relatives, homes and means of livelihood to the persistent insecurity that has ravaged the region.
In a letter addressed to the President, the coalition called for a thorough probe into claims that former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, and former Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, contributed to the escalation of violence through policies allegedly involving the seizure of grazing reserves and the arming of vigilante groups.
According to the families, Turji, in a video released in December 2025, accused the former governors of implementing actions that targeted Fulani communities, heightened ethnic tensions and triggered cycles of reprisal attacks, which later snowballed into widespread banditry across the Northwest.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, its Chairperson, Otuba Rawene, said many families had suffered irreparable losses.
“Many of us have lost loved ones in brutal killings, seen family members abducted, or been forced to flee our homes, leaving behind livelihoods and communities destroyed by violence,” he said.
While acknowledging Turji’s criminal record, the coalition insisted that the allegations deserved impartial scrutiny.
“We recognise that Bello Turji is a wanted criminal responsible for countless atrocities, including the deaths of many of our relatives.
However, these allegations warrant serious and independent investigation. Where there is smoke, there is fire,” the letter stated.
The group also highlighted the magnitude of the crisis, noting that no fewer than 4,900 people were killed between 2018 and 2020, while more than 2,266 lives were lost in the first half of 2025 alone.
It added that thousands have been abducted over the years, with verified ransom payments amounting to billions of naira.
The coalition made two key demands: a prompt, independent and comprehensive investigation into Turji’s allegations, possibly with technical or international oversight to ensure credibility, and broader measures to tackle impunity, including sanctions against anyone found complicit, irrespective of status.
Also speaking, the coalition’s Public Relations Officer, Hajia Hadijat Abdullahi, said accountability was critical to ending the cycle of violence in the region.
“Holding those who may have contributed to this crisis accountable is essential to restoring peace and preventing further bloodshed.
” We urge the Federal Government to act decisively and transparently,” she said.
