Bandit Leader Jiya Turji Receives ₦6m Ransom from Sokoto Villagers

Notorious armed bandit leader Jiya Turji has reportedly received a ₦6 million ransom payment from the residents of Sardauna village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The payment, aimed at securing the release of five community members abducted by Turji’s gang, was revealed on Friday by counterterrorism and insurgency expert Zagazola Makama in a post on his X handle.

EDITOR’S PICKS 

• Electricity Meter Costs Rise Again As Deregulation Takes Effect
• Biden, Harris Set To Congratulate Trump On Presidential Win
• Thousands Of ‘Trained’ Combatants Ready To Fight Israel – Hezbollah Chief

According to intelligence sources cited by Makama, the villagers initially faced intense ransom negotiations, with the bandits demanding a much larger sum before agreeing to settle for ₦6 million.

Bandit Leader Jiya Turji

Following the payment, the five abducted individuals, who had been in captivity for several weeks, were freed. However, the incident has further heightened fears among Sabon Birni residents, who are grappling with an uptick in attacks from Turji’s gang.

FURTHER READING 

• Hezbollah Launches 120 Projectiles From Lebanon Into Israel
• Full List of Chief of Army Staff Who Died in Office
• ECOWAS Court Partners ICRC To Domesticate International Humanitarian Law

Local leaders have repeatedly called for increased security measures to tackle banditry, which has led to a rise in kidnappings, extortion, and violent assaults across the region.

As of the time of this report, neither the Sokoto State Government nor security agencies have issued a comment regarding the ransom payment. The incident highlights the continuing challenges in addressing insecurity in Northern Nigeria.

Here is video of the week

---

Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:

Kindly contact us at [email protected]. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.

Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.

Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611