Sokoto becomes the latest state to fall under the spell of bandits who now control 10 of its LGAs

SOKOTO State is currently reeling from the effects of armed banditry as no less than 10 of its local government areas are being controlled by hoodlums who not only levy taxes but also dispense justice as they deem fit.

In what has now become s scourge across the northwest geo-political zone, large swathes of several states including Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara have become no-go areas as the government has lost control of them. Now, Sokoto State has joined the list as despite repeated government counter-measures and heavy security deployments, the bandits have managed to take control of vast areas.

In Sabon Birni, the birthplace of the deputy governor, Idris Gobir, heavily armed gangs control the villages around the local government headquarters at night. At will, they burn homes, loot properties and abduct helpless residents, instilling fear among local residents, who live each day fearing they may be the next target.

Across Isa Local Government Area, towns like Bafarawa, Kamarawa, Arume and Gebe are under siege as bandits strut about openly during the day with rifles slung across their shoulders. Along the highways of Gatawa, Hawan Drum and Gundumi, they brazenly set up checkpoints, kidnapping commuters in broad daylight.

In Goronyo, Wurno, Rabah, Tureta, Dange/Shuni and Shagari, these killers adapt guerrilla tactics, striking at will. They plunder shops, empty grain silos and even cart away biscuits and soft drinks, leaving communities destitute and hungry in their wake.

Retired Colonel Ahmed Usman, the special adviser on security to Governor Ahmed Aliyu, admitted that the biggest stumbling block in the war against banditry is not the gunmen themselves but their informants hiding among communities. He added that these informants betray their people for blood money.

Governor Aliyu has vowed to hunt down and punish informants with the same iron hand as the bandits they aid. He warned that no influence, social status, or connection will shield those caught from justice.

To address the matter, the Sokoto State government has strengthened collaboration with the army, police, Department of State Security, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other security formations. Recently, it distributed 14 brand new Toyota Hilux vans and 100 motorcycles to boost mobility and rapid response, while also sustaining the provision of fuel, allowances and logistics.

Also, community guards have been mobilised across affected areas to reinforce conventional forces, gathering intelligence and helping repel incursions. Governor Aliyu also recently visited internally displaced persons camps, distributing food, clothing and cash relief to battered households.

However, despite all these efforts, Sokoto State remains a battlefield where the authority of government is contested daily by ruthless warlords. Rural communities continue to live in fear as their lives are dictated not by law but by the whims of bandits who have instituted a reign of terror.