Bandit Leader, Turji Allegedly Collects N6M As Ransom From Sokoto Residents

Notorious bandit leader, Jiya Turji reportedly received a ransom payment of N6 million from residents of Sardauna village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The incident was made known on Friday by Zagazola Makama, a Lake Chad Basin counterterrorism and insurgency expert, in a post on his X handle.

Makama disclosed that intelligence sources informed him that the payment was made by the villagers to secure the release of five of their community members.

The five community members were said to have been abducted by Turji’s gang during an earlier attack.

The security expert, citing the locals, explained that the ransom negotiations were intense, with the bandits initially demanding a higher sum before settling for N6 million.

“The victims, who have been in captivity for several weeks, were reportedly freed after the payment was made,” he added.