NIGERIANS are living in fear. They are fleeing their homes in droves as the government appears to have abandoned them to the ruthless terrorists. The recent mass exodus from over 50 communities in the Shinkafi Local Government Area in Zamfara State, following threats made by the notorious bandit, Bello Turji, highlights the horrifying truth.

Incidentally, this is not isolated. Residents in 23 communities in the Tsafe LGA in Zamfara have started fleeing their homes after another notorious bandit leader, Dogo Gide, threatened to attack them if they failed to pay him N100 million.

This is a damning indictment of the country?s abandonment of its sovereignty to non-state actors. The government must neutralise Turji, Gide and other bandit leaders with precision.

Much like the late leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, Turji and Gide are a caustic representation of the government?s failures in confronting terrorism. The apathetic courses of action by the government have emboldened Lakurawa, ISWAP, Ansaru, and Fulani herders to overpower communities in Nigeria.

In the 2024 Global Terrorism Index, Nigeria was rated eighth out of 163 countries. According to the Global Fragile Index put together by the Fund for Peace, Nigeria dropped from 16th to 15th position in 2024, out of 179 countries, as the human rights, IDPs, and refugee situation worsened.

The grim reality of banditry creates a picture of a military unable to quell it despite its vast resources. Apprehending Turji and Gide will serve as a deterrent and reduce their footprints. Turji is not a ghost, he operates from caves and mountains.

While a few journalists have interviewed Turji, military operatives with access to drones and other modern technologies claim they are unable to find him. This raises troubling questions about the security forces? capacity and even possible collusion by sociopolitical elements protecting him from justice. The safety and well-being of Nigerians must come first, even before political expediency or bureaucratic inertia.

The wider implications of the crisis are alarming. The existence of individuals such as Turji sends signals to the international community that Nigeria is unable to manage its internal security.

This might constrict the flow of foreign investments into Nigeria. The assassination of the Emir of Gwaram, allegedly masterminded by Turji, raises an eyebrow.

President Bola Tinubu and his National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu must champion this fight. The American precedent of hunting down Osama bin Laden and narco-terrorist Pablo Escobar teaches clarity in the resolution of similar matters.

The Americans deployed intelligence, technology, and global collaboration to track down and neutralise these wanted terrorists. Nigeria should adopt a similarly unrelenting, surgical approach. The NSA should set immediate and clear targets for dismantling Turji?s network.

These milestones must have consequences, which Tinubu should enforce.

The military must apply technology and strategy. It should locate and neutralise threats using surveillance drones, real-time communication intercepts, and ground intelligence. Within Nigeria?s territory, terrorists deserve no space. Turji and all others like him should be caught, dealt with according to the law, and their organisations dismantled. Trust among the residents and security agencies is vital.

Villagers continue to keep quiet for fear of being killed by bandits, this has stifled access to real-time information to security agencies. The military must restore the confidence of the public beyond mere rhetoric.

Although reports were that the military arrested a 25-year-old weapons trafficker who allegedly worked for Turji, without bringing Turji to his knees, it remains a partial victory.

Crucially, the government needs to address the socio-economic factors fuelling banditry. Poverty, lack of education, and unemployment provide fertile ground for recruiting young minds into criminal networks. Development initiatives alongside military action will ensure that the cycle of violence is broken. (The PUNCH Editorial)

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