Notorious armed bandit leader Jiya Turji has reportedly received a ransom payment of ₦6 million from residents of Sardauna village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

This was disclosed on Friday by counterterrorism and insurgency expert Zagazola Makama in a post on his X handle.

Makama revealed, citing intelligence sources, that the villagers paid the ransom to secure the release of five community members abducted by Turji’s gang during an earlier attack.

“The ransom negotiations were intense, with the bandits initially demanding a much higher sum before agreeing to settle for ₦6 million,” Makama said, quoting locals.

The five abductees were reportedly freed after the payment was made, though the incident has heightened fears among residents of Sabon Birni over recurring attacks by Turji’s gang.

“The victims, who have been in captivity for several weeks, were reportedly freed after the payment was made,” he added.

Local leaders have repeatedly called on security agencies to intensify efforts to curb banditry in the region, which has seen an alarming rise in kidnappings, extortion, and violent attacks.

As of press time, neither the Sokoto State Government nor security agencies have commented on the ransom payment. The incident underscores the ongoing challenges in combating insecurity in Northern Nigeria.