Sokoto residents refute mass exodus claim amid bandit attacks
Some residents of Bargaja community in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State have denied mass relocation claims from the town to other towns due to security challenges bedeviling the
Some residents of Bargaja community in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State have denied mass relocation claims from the town to other towns due to security challenges bedeviling the area.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a media platform had reported that the residents had been relocating en masse to other areas due to incessant attacks.
A resident of the area confirmed to NAN that the movement was not as widespread as reported and as shown in videos being circulated on social media.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, explained that some people began to relocate, “however, with the presence of army personnel and other security operatives, many had rescinded their decision.”
A public commentator from the area, Malam Altine Guyawa, confirmed that bandits attacked the community on Saturday and some residents of Bargaja community considered relocating as an option and measure to avert the situation.
Guyawa said residents, along with local vigilantes, had been containing such unexpected attacks in the past and the security operatives’ presence had boosted the defensive measures.
Another source, who also pleaded for anonymity, said the community had experienced pockets of banditry attacks where security personnel, alongside locals, “confronted the bandits and both sides suffered casualties, leading to fear among some residents.”
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Meanwhile, a source from security operatives indicated that military troops on the ground had an encounter with a gang of bandits who attempted to attack Bargaja village and nearby communities under Isa Local Government Area.
The source added that the military’s rapid response team repelled the attack and comforted the residents regarding relocation moves.
He said after the consultations, many residents rescinded their decision to leave the town, adding that the pictures on social media might be the few ones that migrated earlier.
“The action has demonstrated the effective deterrence and pro-activeness of the Nigerian Army operatives who successfully averted an attack on the villages; the situation at present is stable and under control,” the source said.
Moreover, the Sokoto Police Command, through the Public Relations Officer, Mr Ahmad Rufa’i, had assured a discreet investigation into the incident and promised to address the press on the situation.
