Sokoto: Bandits hire, fire village heads in my LG, says council chairman

THE chairman of Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Alhaji Sharifu Kamarawa, has disclosed that bandits take liberty to appoint and depose village heads in some communities within the council area.

Kamarawa made the revelation when the Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, visited some communities in eastern Isa, Sabon Birni and Goronyo local government areas of the state.

He said the bandits led by Kachalla Bello Turji appoint and depose village heads at will in those areas.

“The problem is in the eastern part of Isa. There are places that are still under the control of bandits. They appoint and depose village heads there.

“We are appealing for a military camp in Kagara to take care of those areas. We used to have a camp there before it was relocated. There was relative peace in those places then. So, we want the camp back,” he said

The chairman admitted that since bandit kingpin, Halilu Sububu, was killed about a month ago, there had been significant reduction in attacks on their communities.

He said the people could now use some roads which were formerly deserted.

However, a certain Galadima who is the head of a village called Duroh, which is located between Sabon-Birni and Isa local government areas, in an interview with newsmen, said he was the only person who remained in the area.

Galadima explained that all the other villagers left for fear of being attacked or killed by bandits.

“I am the village head of this community. Even though I also don’t sleep here, I am the only one coming to this place on a daily basis; very other person has relocated to other places like Sabon Birni.

“Nobody can stay here, especially in the night, for fear of attack. I only come here during the day to farm and before dawn, I move to the next village where I sleep.

“Our people are ready to return home if the government can help us to provide security. I will ensure my people come back to continue our daily activities,” he said.

Nut in Choi Mahe, another community between Sabon Birni and Goronyo local government areas, one of the residents, Jamilu Sanusi, who spoke with Saturday Tribune’s correspondent, said the community had not witnessed any form of attack in the last two months.

“We are happy to be back in our community. We all ran to another village but after we heard the place had been cleared, we came returned to our homes.

“I can confirm to you that in the last two months, we have not had any form of bandit attack, unlike before when we got attacked almost every day,” Sanusi said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, called on governments in the North West states to cooperate with the Federal Government in dealing with insecurity in the region.

Matawalle said President Tinubu was concerned about insecurity in the North, a reason why he appointed northern ministers of defence and heads of security operatives.

He said: “The President also directed me to ensure militarisation of all the danger areas in the state.

“So, we are going to create a military base at Gundumi which will be patrolling the Gundumi-Marnona Road which has remained closed for years.

“Three formations will be set up in Isah and Sabon Birni local government areas and the formations will be located at Gundumi in Isa as well as Mailalle and Tsamaye in Sabon Birni.

“I can assure you that efforts will be intensified in the fight against banditry. Already, some of their leaders have been eliminated.”

The minister lamented the activities of informants of bandits, saying more attention would be focused on them.

He assured residents of Isa, Sabon Birni and Goronyo local government areas of deployment of more security operatives in the areas.

“So, we need your support because the issue of security is everyone’s business. We need to know about the bandits’ movement,” he said.

READ ALSO: Police confirm Oloba Salo hospitalised after gun attack in Lagos