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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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