A coalition of families affected by years of deadly banditry in Northwest Nigeria has written to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to investigate claims linking two former governors to the region’s ongoing security crisis.
The group, operating as the Coalition of Families Affected by Banditry, said they were compelled to appeal directly to the President after repeated inaction at the domestic level, despite sustained attacks that have devastated their communities.
In a letter submitted in Abuja, the families recounted the losses they have endured, including loved ones, homes, and livelihoods, due to the activities of armed bandits and criminal gangs in Zamfara, Sokoto, and neighbouring states.
Exhausted by years of violence, the coalition called on Tinubu to probe claims that policies implemented during the administrations of former Zamfara Governor Ahmed Sani Yerima and former Sokoto Governor Attahiru Bafarawa laid the groundwork for the current insecurity.
The letter, signed by Chairperson Otuba Rawene, Secretary Sani Usman, Public Relations Officer Haj. Hadijat Abdullahi, and 20 others, stated:
“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 appeal was prompted by recent statements from notorious bandit leader Bello Turji, who accused the former governors of policies that allegedly fueled ethnic tensions and cycles of reprisal in the region.
“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,” the letter said.
Turji, in a widely circulated video released in December 2025, reportedly claimed that the former governors’ policies—such as the seizure and sale of grazing reserves and the arming of vigilante groups targeting Fulani communities—sparked ethnic tensions that evolved into today’s widespread banditry.
While acknowledging Turji’s criminal history, the families stressed that his allegations deserved impartial investigation.
“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,” the letter read.
The coalition highlighted the staggering human and economic toll of banditry in the Northwest, citing thousands of deaths, mass displacement, and billions of naira in ransom payments over the years. They noted that between 2018 and 2020, at least 4,900 civilians were killed, and in the first half of 2025, over 2,266 deaths were recorded, surpassing the total for all of 2024.
“These attacks have displaced hundreds of thousands, disrupted agriculture and trade, deepened poverty, and inflicted lasting trauma on survivors,” the families said. “Communities now live in constant fear, with bandits imposing illegal levies and operating with impunity.”
The coalition urged the Federal Government to launch a prompt, independent, and thorough investigation into Turji’s allegations, calling for technical assistance or international oversight to ensure credibility and prevent political interference.
They added that broader measures should be implemented to address impunity and hold accountable anyone who may have contributed to the crisis.
“Accountability for those who may have contributed to this crisis, regardless of their status, is essential to breaking the cycle of violence and restoring peace,” the letter concluded.
