Bandit Leader Claims Attacks on Security Forces in New Video

A new video from a man believed to be the notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has raised worries about armed groups in Nigeria's North-west.

The masked speaker in the video took responsibility for recent attacks in Sokoto and Zamfara states.

This video, made in Hausa and dated 20 June, shows the speaker surrounded by armed men in military-style clothes, with ammunition and various firearms visible.

Although PREMIUM TIMES could not confirm the claims in the video, it likely raises fears about Turji's group still being active despite years of military efforts targeting bandit hideouts.

In the video, the speaker said his fighters attacked security operatives and others he accused of taking livestock and killing their community members in Zamfara and Sokoto states.

"Some people who are chasing away our livestock are killing our innocent brothers and sisters," he said, naming Shinkafi in Zamfara State and Sabon Birni in Sokoto State as affected areas.

"Allah granted us victory over these people who are carrying out these operations and driving away our livestock. We killed them," he added.

The speaker did not give numbers or details about those attacked, but he claimed that his group ambushed security personnel and confronted cattle rustlers.

This latest video seems to be part of Turji's effort to show strength while security agencies increase their operations against armed groups in the North-west.

For years, Turji has used videos and audio messages to connect with supporters, make threats, announce ceasefires, and respond to military actions against his camps.

Security experts say these messages often serve as propaganda, helping armed groups boost their fighters' spirits, intimidate local communities, and challenge official claims about security successes.

This new video is especially important as it comes during renewed military actions in Sokoto and Zamfara. Security authorities have repeatedly said that top bandit leaders are being weakened.

The recording also seems aimed at framing the group's actions as revenge against attacks on pastoral communities and livestock theft, an explanation experts say armed groups often use to justify their violence and gain sympathy from affected communities.

This video appears amid worsening security issues in Nigeria's North-west, where communities still face killings, kidnappings, cattle rustling, and mass displacement.

Areas like Shinkafi, Isa, Sabon Birni, Goronyo, and nearby local government areas have been among the worst hit by attacks linked to armed groups along the Sokoto-Zamfara border.

What started years ago as fights over grazing routes, land access, and cattle rustling has turned into a severe security crisis, involving mass abductions, extortion, illegal taxes, and attacks on rural communities.

Mr Turji, believed to hide in forest areas across Zamfara and surrounding states, is one of the most wanted bandit leaders despite ongoing military actions against his network.

Recently, security fears have grown in eastern Sokoto due to reports of attacks on farming communities, warnings of potential violence, and claims that Turji's fighters are regrouping and getting new weapons.

A recent report by a civil society group claimed that some of Turji's associates were training with weapons and practicing tactics in communities near the Sokoto-Zamfara border. These claims have not been independently verified.

The ongoing violence has seriously affected rural communities in the area.

Residents in several Sokoto and Zamfara communities have left their farms because of attacks, kidnappings, and demands for protection payments from armed groups.

The renewed insecurity comes at a critical time for farming, raising worries among locals and humanitarian groups about food production and livelihoods in areas already struggling due to years of conflict.

Local sources have also reported ongoing displacement from communities in Sabon Birni and surrounding areas following frequent attacks and threats from armed groups.

As of now, neither the Defence Headquarters nor the police in Sokoto and Zamfara states have officially responded to the claims in the video.

Historically, military officials have dismissed similar videos as propaganda meant to exaggerate armed groups' power and weaken public trust in security operations.

PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify the video's authenticity or its claims.

But for residents facing attacks, kidnappings, and displacement, this latest video likely strengthens fears that some of the region's most dangerous armed groups are still active despite ongoing security efforts.