KEY POINTS
• A man believed to be bandit leader Bello Turji claimed responsibility for recent attacks on security operatives in Sokoto and Zamfara.
• The claims, contained in a new video, could not be independently verified.
• Residents and humanitarian groups remain concerned about worsening insecurity and its impact on farming and livelihoods in the North-West.
A new video purportedly featuring notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has sparked fresh concerns over the continued activities of armed groups in Nigeria’s North-West, with the masked speaker claiming responsibility for recent attacks on security operatives in parts of Sokoto and Zamfara states.
The video, dated June 20 and delivered in Hausa, showed the speaker surrounded by armed men dressed in military-style camouflage, with weapons and ammunition belts displayed around them.
Although the authenticity of the video and the claims made in it could not be independently verified, the footage is expected to renew concerns over the operational strength of Turji’s network despite years of military offensives against bandit groups.
In the recording, the speaker claimed that his fighters had recently launched attacks against security personnel and individuals allegedly involved in killing members of their communities and seizing livestock.
He specifically mentioned communities in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State and Sabon Birni in Sokoto State, alleging that his group had successfully confronted those responsible.
However, the speaker did not provide casualty figures or details of the alleged operations.
Video Seen as Propaganda Tool
Security experts believe such videos are often intended to project strength, boost the morale of fighters and challenge official claims of progress in the fight against banditry.
For years, Turji has used audio and video messages to communicate with supporters, issue threats and react to military operations targeting his camps.
Analysts say armed groups frequently portray their attacks as retaliation against perceived injustices, including the seizure of livestock and attacks on pastoral communities, in an effort to gain sympathy and justify violence.
The latest video comes amid renewed military operations in parts of Sokoto and Zamfara and repeated assurances from security authorities that top bandit commanders are being weakened.
Despite these efforts, communities across the North-West continue to face killings, kidnappings, cattle rustling, extortion and mass displacement.
Areas such as Shinkafi, Isa, Sabon Birni and Goronyo have remained among the worst-hit communities along the Sokoto-Zamfara border corridor.
What initially began as disputes over grazing routes, land access and cattle rustling has evolved into a broader security crisis involving widespread abductions, illegal taxation and attacks on rural communities.
The persistent insecurity has forced many residents in Sokoto and Zamfara to abandon their farms due to attacks and demands for levies by armed groups.
Humanitarian organisations and residents have expressed concerns that the renewed violence could affect food production and livelihoods during the ongoing farming season.
Reports have also indicated continued displacement of residents in Sabon Birni and neighbouring communities following repeated attacks and threats.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Defence Headquarters nor the police commands in Sokoto and Zamfara states had officially responded to the claims contained in the video.
In the past, military authorities have dismissed similar recordings as propaganda aimed at exaggerating the strength of armed groups and undermining public confidence in ongoing security operations.
While the claims in the latest video remain unverified, the development is likely to heighten fears among residents who have endured years of violence and displacement in the region.
