A report by The Nation has revealed that one of the notorious bandits terrorising the Northwest, Kachalla Turji, has let loose his gang on several villages in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, furious that his father was arrested by security agents.
It was gathered that at the last count yesterday, the gang had abducted up to 150 villagers and travellers.
Torji, who reportedly met with renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, in February, demanded his father’s immediate release to enable him celebrate the Eid el Kabir with his family.
He reportedly vowed to abduct as many people as possible and keep them away from observing the Eid with their families if his own father was not released.
He wondered why the old man was arrested in the first instance. The gang has laid siege to such villages as Kurya, Keta, Kware, Badarawa, Marisuwa and Maberaya.
Several travellers have also been abducted on the Gusau-Sokoto Road.
Residents of neighbouring villages are already in fear of what may befall them from the bandits. During the February meeting with Gumi in Makkai forest, Turji had said neither him nor his men were afraid of death. He equally accused government of underrating and reneging on the promises made to him and other bandits.
“This is how Boko Haram started. Nigeria has underestimated us and the problem,” he told Gumi.
He said his gang had in its possession loads of arms it could use to paralyse the state.