Victims of relentless banditry in Nigeria's north-west have petitioned President Bola Tinubu, urging an independent federal investigation into explosive claims by notorious bandit leader Bello Turji that past policies in Zamfara and Sokoto states fueled the region's insecurity crisis.
The Coalition of Families Affected by Banditry, in a letter delivered in Abuja, described the devastating toll of years of attacks: brutal killings, mass abductions, destroyed homes, displaced communities, and shattered livelihoods.
"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," the coalition stated.
They highlighted widespread displacement of hundreds of thousands, disrupted farming and trade, deepening poverty, illegal levies imposed by bandits, and constant fear under a regime of impunity.
The plea was triggered by a December 2025 video in which Turji, a wanted terror kingpin blamed for countless atrocities including the deaths of many coalition members' relatives, alleged that actions under former governors contributed to escalating ethnic tensions and reprisals that birthed modern banditry.
While condemning Turji as a criminal, the group invoked the proverb "where there is smoke, there is fire," arguing the allegations deserve impartial scrutiny after local efforts for justice were ignored or dismissed.
Signed by chairperson Otuba Rawene, secretary Sani Usman, public relations officer Hadijat Abdullahi, and over 20 members, the letter called President Tinubu described as a "steadfast champion of human rights and accountability" their "last hope."
The coalition demanded:
- A prompt, thorough, and independent probe, potentially with international oversight for credibility and protection from interference.
- Broader anti-impunity measures, including sanctions against anyone found complicit, regardless of status.
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