The residents of Moriki, a small town in Zamfara State, are gripped by fear after the notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, imposed a N30 million levy on the community, with the deadline for payment having expired. Turji’s demand followed the military’s killing of over 100 of his cattle in a recent operation, sparking retaliation against the people of Moriki.
In the wake of the deadline passing, the bandit kingpin has threatened the town with severe consequences if the sum is not paid. However, despite efforts to raise the money, the impoverished community has fallen short. Many residents have begun fleeing their homes, fearing imminent violence.
Sani Musa, a resident, recounted his personal struggle to meet the bandit’s demand. “I was asked to contribute N20,000,” he told a newspaper. “But I don’t even have that. I tried selling my farm, but nobody is interested because of the security situation.” The anxiety has driven him and others to abandon their homes in search of safety.
Others, like the elderly Zayyanu Hassan, have little choice but to remain behind. “I don’t know where to go,” said Hassan, lamenting his ill health and lack of mobility. “There are many like me who cannot leave, even though we know what might come.”
Despite the panic spreading through the community, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, struck a defiant tone, vowing swift military action against Turji and his network of outlaws. Speaking on Tuesday, he described the bandit leader as “a deranged individual,” promising, “It’s just a matter of time; we’re going to get him.”
Musa addressed the broader issue of bandits extorting levies from citizens, a tactic that has become all too common in Nigeria’s northwest, where armed groups terrorise rural areas with impunity. “They live off the money they extort, but we are going to end this menace,” he said, urging the public to stop supporting these criminal groups by providing information or resources.
The military’s operations in the region, long criticised for being fragmented, are undergoing a strategic overhaul. Musa revealed a consolidation of efforts, bringing multiple operations under one unified command in the North-West, codenamed ‘Operation Kasar Yamma’. He expressed confidence that the new strategy would tighten control and improve coordination among the forces tasked with ending the violence.
As the military prepares its response, the situation in Moriki remains perilous. For those unable to flee, the fear of Turji’s wrath looms large, their fate uncertain in the face of unrelenting banditry and slow-moving governmental protection.
