Insecurity: Torn Apart Families Write Tinubu Over Bello Turji Confessions, Make 2 Demands
- A coalition of families affected by banditry in Northwest Nigeria wrote to President Tinubu urging an investigation into allegations against two former governors
- The families cited claims by bandit leader Bello Turji that policies by the former governors contributed to the region’s insecurity and cycles of violence
- The coalition demanded a prompt, independent probe and broader measures to ensure accountability and prevent further impunity
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A coalition of families devastated by persistent banditry in Northwest Nigeria has appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to investigate serious allegations made against two former governors. The group, known as the Coalition of Families Affected by Banditry, represents victims who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods to relentless violence.
Families call for investigation into former governors
Source: UGC
In a letter addressed to the President, the coalition demanded a thorough probe into claims that former Zamfara Governor Ahmed Sani Yerima and former Sokoto Governor Attahiru Bafarawa contributed to the region’s insecurity through policies involving the seizure of grazing reserves and the arming of vigilante groups.
Chairperson Otuba Rawene, speaking on behalf of the group, said: “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. We write to Your Excellency with a profound sense of urgency and responsibility, seeking your support in addressing grave allegations recently made public by notorious bandit leader Bello Turji.”
Bello Turji’s allegations cited
The letter references a video released in December 2025, in which Turji accused the two former governors of laying the foundation for today’s insecurity crisis. According to the bandit leader, policies including the sale of grazing reserves and the arming of vigilante groups targeted at Fulani communities fuelled ethnic tensions, creating cycles of reprisal attacks that escalated into widespread banditry.
While acknowledging Turji’s criminal record, the coalition insisted that the allegations require serious and impartial scrutiny. “While we acknowledge that Bello Turji is a wanted criminal responsible for countless atrocities, including the deaths of many of our relatives, we believe these allegations warrant serious and impartial scrutiny. As the proverb goes, ‘where there is smoke, there is fire,’” the letter read.
Call for justice and international oversight
The coalition outlined the scale of suffering caused by banditry, noting that between 2018 and 2020, at least 4,900 people were killed, while over 2,266 people lost their lives in the first half of 2025 alone. Thousands more have been abducted, with verified ransom payments reaching billions of naira.
The families made two main demands to President Tinubu: first, to launch a prompt, independent, and thorough investigation into Turji’s allegations, possibly with technical or international oversight to ensure credibility; and second, to advocate for broader measures to address impunity, including sanctions against anyone found complicit, regardless of status.
Haj. Hadijat Abdullahi, the group’s Public Relations Officer, added: “Accountability for those who may have contributed to this crisis is essential to breaking the cycle of violence and restoring peace. We implore the Nigerian government to act decisively and transparently.”
Source: Legit.ng
