By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
Kallamu, a bandit leader, and an accomplice of the notorious Bello Turji, has sacked no fewer than 20 villages in Sabon Birni and Isa local government areas of Sokoto East Senatorial district, eyewitness confirmed.
The incident which happened last weekend drew global sympathy and concerns with the Director of Amnesty International, Isa Sanusi appealing to the Nigerian government to step up efforts towards the protection of lives and property of its citizens.
Confirming the development, one of the locals from Gangara village, Mohammed Shehu said those sacked by the Kallamu-led terrorists trooped in their thousands to Gatawa village to seek refuge.
According to Shehu, Kallamu, after uninterrupted attacks on the villages, later asked them to vacate if they are unable to pay the fine he imposed on them.
“I am from Gangara village and for over five years now, we have been under siege. But this time around, the bandit leader, Kallamu ordered people to leave the villages of Dama, Dadin Kowa, Magira, Gamji, Dantasakku, Makwaruwa, Shadawa, Gidan gyara, and a host of others.
“The video has been trending for days now showing how both women and children trooped in their large numbers to Gatawa village just to save their lives,” Shehu lamented.
Efforts to confirm the development from relevant security agencies, however, proved unsuccessful as messages sent to them were not responded to at the time of filing this report.
Also, efforts to speak with both State and National lawmakers as well as the local government chairmen of the affected areas weren’t successful as they were equally not reachable.
Insecurity in the Eastern Senatorial District of Sokoto has been very disturbing over the years because of its close proximity to Zamfara state, a major theatre of bandits’ operation. However, the Sokoto state government in its commitments to security of lives and property, established, trained and equipped the Sokoto Community Guard Corps and has also been supporting the conventional security agencies in a number of ways.
