As Nigerians prepare for the new year, there is palpable tension in some states over a threat by terrorists to launch attacks on community dwellers.
LEADERSHIP reports that a terrorist kingpin in Zamfara State, Bello Turji, has threatened to attack villagers in the New Year.
Turji had released a video clip threatening to launch an attack to destroy three local government areas of Sokoto and Zamfara states.
Also in Benue State, residents have reported that attacks are planned on their communities in the new year.
As a result, no fewer than 50 communities of the Shinkafi local government of Zamfara State have deserted their villages for fear of attack by notorious bandits kingpin Bello Turji.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in his residence in Gusau, an All Progressive Congress (APC) stalwart in Zamfara State, Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, said bandit leaders had threatened to destroy two local government areas of Shinkafi, Zurmi, and Isah in Sokoto State if his brother “Baka Wurgi,” arrested by the military, was not released.
He said this has forced more than 80 percent of residents of Shinkafi communities to relocate to the neighbouring local government of Kaura—Namoda.
Shinkafi said, “Since the release of the video of threat attacks, till this moment that I am briefing you, no fewer than 50 communities have been deserted in Shinkafi local government area alone for fear of being attacked.”
The APC stalwart further described Turji’s threat of attacks on innocent communities as a slap in the face of the Nigerian military and other security agencies if allowed to happen.
Shinkafi, whose community is one of those threatened by the bandit, urged the military and President Bola Tinubu to quickly come to the aid of the communities and stop the notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji before he wreaks havoc on the innocent communities.
SEE ALSO PICTORIAL: Troops Arrest Female Arms Courier Linked To Terrorist Leader Turji In Zamfara
The Nigerian Army had on December 14 this year arrested top bandits leader Bako Wurgi (alias Baba Na Garba), who is suspected to have been involved in the killing of the Emir of Gobir in Sokoto State, Alhaji Isah Mohammed Bawa.
In Benue State, the Turan Community in Kwande Local Government Area, which was attacked on Christmas Day by armed bandits suspected to be marauding herdsmen, have raised the alarm over the news doing the rounds about another planned attack on their communities on New Year Day.
Meanwhile, a seven-year-old girl, Ishughun Tyohemba, whose father, Terhemba Tyohemba, was matcheted to death by the marauding herdsmen, and his daughter Ishughun, who was abducted alongside other children, suddenly returned with her left hand amputated.
On sighting the little Ishughun, who was in pain during the visit of the State Security Council, alongside the executive secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Sir James Iorapuu, who broke into tears, directed one of the drivers to take the child to the General Hospital Adikpo for better treatment and care.
The Mbaikyor youth leader, Igbawua Gandepuun, who spoke with our correspondent in a telephone conversation after the visit, said, “We heard from the grapevine that the bandits are planning another attack on our communities on New Year’s Day, and we want to draw the attention of the Benue State Government.”
According to him, “People are fleeing the communities in droves because it was the same rumour we got, and we informed the security agencies posted here, but they did not believe us, and nothing was done till the herders came in their numbers and started shooting sporadically at anyone in sight.
“We are appealing to the Benue State Government to deploy more security personnel to nip the alleged planned attack in the bud to instil confidence in the minds of the community members to enable them to come back and harvest their abandoned crops.
“Now is the time of harvesting, and these communities are predominantly agrarian, but as you can see, everybody is running for safety and abandoning their crops which the cattle are feeding on, and some farms have been set ablaze by the herders.”
Narrating their ordeal, the elder brother to the slain Terhemba and the uncle to the amputated Ishughun, who identified himself as Keghter Tyohemba, said, “We came back from the church, and the women were cooking. He went out of the house to greet a neighbour and suddenly heard gunshots and community members running into the bush for safety, and I could not go back. I also ran into the bush.”
“The operation, which lasted over one hour, left more than 17 individuals dead, including my immediate younger brother Terhemba, who was matcheted to death. “At the same time, his daughter Ishghuun was abducted alongside other children, only for us to see her yesterday in the bush while searching for the missing person with her left hand amputated by the herdsmen.
“From October 2024 to date, this is the third time the herdsmen have attacked our households, five of my uncles were killed alongside three siblings.My Mother gave birth to six of us, and the herdsmen killed three; we are now remaining three.”
LEADERSHIP recalls that the Ter Kwande, His Royal Highness Timothy Ahire, attributed the sustained attacks on the Turan community to poor response and negligence to intelligence reports as well as the inadequate security agents posted to the area.
He said, “We had prior information about the planned attack by these terrorists on Christmas Day and passed it to the security personnel here, but they didn’t do anything.”
However, with the threats of attacks in some communities in the states, the Nigerian military has said that there is no cause for alarm as they are ‘on top of the situation’.
Even though the director of defence media operations, Maj-Gen Edward Buba, could not immediately make comments, sources in the military told LEADERSHIP that there is nothing to fear .
“There’s no cause for alarm,” one of the sources said, adding that the military operations are still in place and will always ensure Nigeria and its citizens are safe.
Gen Buba had earlier said that drones being used by terrorist groups are not military grade and cannot pose any threat in the counter-terrorism war.
Mr Buba said this on Friday in Abuja while briefing newsmen on the recent airstrike incident in Sokoto State.
According to him, drones in battles are not new, as they have different classes and capabilities.
