Turji Loyalists Undergoing Weapons Training in Sokoto Communities, Intelligence Report Alleges

Fresh security concerns have emerged in parts of eastern Sokoto State following reports that loyalists of notorious bandit leader Bello Turji are allegedly conducting weapons training and tactical exercises in communities along the Sokoto-Zamfara border corridor .

According to an intelligence report released by the Sokoto State Coordinator of the Movement for Social Justice and Good Governance, Basharu Altine, the gathering is reportedly taking place in areas stretching from Bingabale Kudu through Bafarawa East to Bargaja, where fighters linked to Turji are said to be undergoing military-style drills using newly acquired weapons .

Altine alleged that some of Turji’s key associates, including Illa Manawa and Dodo, believed to be the bandit kingpin’s younger brother, are involved in the exercise. Intelligence gathered by his organisation indicated that the fighters were receiving training on the use of sophisticated weapons recently introduced into the area .

Altine further alleged that preliminary intelligence points to the arrival of a fresh consignment of weapons and the presence of newly recruited fighters believed to possess advanced combat and weapons-handling expertise . According to him, some of the new arrivals are serving as instructors, tasked with strengthening Turji’s operational network across border communities in Sokoto and Zamfara states .

The report also claimed that night-vision devices recently linked to Turji formed part of the equipment delivered to the group’s camps . Ongoing investigations have allegedly linked two suspected bandit commanders, Haru Dole and Ibrahim Chimo, to the procurement and movement of the weapons .

Altine warned that the alleged collaboration could have wider security implications for communities in eastern Sokoto, claiming that intelligence reports point to plans aimed at expanding the group’s influence in the region. “There are growing concerns that this alliance forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen their operational presence across eastern Sokoto. Intelligence sources have expressed fears that coordinated attacks may be planned against some local government headquarters before the peak of the rainy season,” he added .

As of the time of filing this report, security authorities had not issued any official statement regarding the allegations, and the claims contained in the intelligence report could not be independently verified .