Insecurity: Turji , Notorious Bandits’ Group Leader, Resumes Violent Attack In Zamfara And Sokoto States  But DHQ, Says  He Won’t Live Beyond 2025

By Suleiman Umaru

For years, Bello Turji, the notorious Bandits Group   gang Leader and his loyalists from Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and other countries in the Sahel region who have infiltrated the north western states of Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Kaduna to terrorize the people is a wounded lion.

His source of   anger was informed by the fact that the military which had taken the battle to the bandit’s enclave and hideouts around the forests in in the north western states which are under the siege of the group.  These was said to have resulted in the elimination of most of the Bandit’s gang Leader close allies and trusted   Commanders, including Baka Wurji, believed to be his cousin. The deceased Wurji was said to have been wounded in a gun duel with troops   Operations Fansan Yamma,in Zamfara state but was quickly smuggled into a Hospital in Shinkafi LGA,  for treatment.

Operation Fansan Yamma troops in action in Zamfara state

 The information which was said to have filtered out to the ears of the Commander of Operation Fansan Yamma, who were said to have mobilized the troops and moved into Shinkafi town, amid tight security, where the troops were said to have cordoned off the hospital and promptly arrested the wounde Wurji and detained him for close monitoring. Indeed, the emotional shock of his arrest and subsequent detention, couple with his degenerating wound due to the forceful discontinuation of treatment at the Shinkafi Hospital may have resulted in his death.

 Turji, who may not have found the arrest and detention of his wounded, cousin funny was said to have released a video clip, threatening fire and brimstone if he is not set free. Unconfirmed shows that the deceased Wurji, alias Baka Garba, was a key figure in the notorious bandits group gang leader operational network, playing a crucial role in ransom negotiations and the collection of payments from victims relations.

The notorious Bandits gang leader who could not hide his feelings was said to have issued multiple threats has he was said to have vowed to escalate attacks on security agencies operatives, particular, military personnel.

 He was said to have further vowed ‘’ to intensify terrorist activities and unleash mayhem in Communities, in Shinkafi, Local Government Area, LGA, of Zamfara state, Zurmi and Isa, LGAs, in Sokoto states,  to turn the areas into  desert lands. He did not stop there. He has said to have equally declared to continue with what he knows best in the north western geopolitical region: kidnapping for ransom and imposition of levies on farmers and rural dwellers.

He may have sent a message to the military Authorities that it was not an empty threat as he was said to have given a matching order to members of his gang to intensify their attacks and kidnapping operations in Zamfara and Katsina states between now and December, 2025, without relenting.

Edward Buba, an Army Major General, and Director of Media, Defense Information, who could not take it from Turji , was said to have repeatedly described Turji, the bandits’ group  Leader threats as  empty, urging the people of the Communities threatened in the three LGAs, from the two north western state to go about their normal business with fear of attack by Turji’s men .

Describing as ‘’a dead man walking’’, the Army Chief, who may have spoken the mind of Gen.  Christopher Musa, Chief of Defense Staff, CDS, had given his words that that he and other Commanders of the bandits group, which many believe s are still shuttling between Nigeria and Niger ‘’won’t live beyond 2025’’, meaning that their days are numbered.

At present, the bandits Group had lost most of their hardliner Commanders to the hard fighting Nigerian troops  . Among the Turji, the Kingpin and loyalists and trusted Commanders who were said to have played into the waiting hands of the military and killed include one Dutse Mainasara Idda, Mallam Saleh Umaru,  Mohammed Ahmadu, Chinemerem , popular, in terrorist circles as BamBam,  Jeremiah Uzuoma,  aka Esokoba,  Tochukwu Owo, known in the bandit group circles as Ojoto  and Eguatu , among others.

Worried by the notorious Bandits’ gang Leader threat to embark on a no- stop  attacks on Zamfara  and Sokoto Communities may have informed why   some  Fulani Leaders from  Shinkafi, Moriki, and Zurmi, were said to summoned courage to meet the Bandits’ Group warlord in his forest hideout, allegedly  pleading with him to reconsider   his plans  to launch violent attacks in the region and lift his blockade of  the Shinkafi-Gusau road and other critical routes  in the north western state of Zamfara and neighbouring Sokoto state.

Unknown to the Fulani Leaders who were said to have met Turji, the bandits’ gang Leader in his hideout in Zamfara, he hada hidden agenda to carry out his threat of attacking communities in Zamfara and Sokoto states to draw out Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oloyede, Chief of Army staff, CoAS’ men out to the battle field.

Turji: Bandits Group gang Leader terrorising Zamfa, Sokoto and Katsina states

 I Note that in blocking the busy Shinkafi-Gusau road, Turji and his allies had targeted travellers and Communities along the road, thus causing widespread panic and disrupting movement in the area.   With, the abduction of 10 passengers travelling along the Kaura- Namoda – Shinkafi road in the north western, Zamfara state, Turji appears to have made a bold statement  of the return of kidnapping activities in the region to draw the attention of Operation Fansan Yamma personnel out.

Notwithstanding the resumed fresh attacks and kidnapping operations by members of the Turji led bandits’gang, Majo. General Buba, Director of Information, Defense Headquarters, was said to have reaffirmed the military commitment ‘’to precision airstrikes and intelligence -led operations at dismantling the terrorists’ networks’’.  The recent, bombing of the bandits group hideouts in Sokoto state and the enclave of the Lakurawa group inn Kebbi state that was said to resulted in the destruction of their ammunition and logistics supplies, according to the Army Chief, bear eloquent testimony that the criminal elements are losing the war.

In spite of the fact that the fact that  the Nigerian military appears to be gaining an upper hand against the Turji -led bandits’ group,  some unnamed retired Nigerian Army Generals who had tested battles  both within and outside the country   and  who are not happy over what is happening in the country   and some other  security experts,  would want the Nigeria government  to adopt new strategic measures to dismantle  the bandits group kingpin’s   network to further weaken him.      

  Many believe that Turji, the bandits group kingpin, is like the proverbial Cat with nine lives as he had continued to evade capture emboldening members of his gang and deepening insecurity   in, Zamfara and Sokoto, states.

 Although, Turji, the notorious bandits group kingpin and his followers, may have carried out their threat to embark on renewed attacks and kidnapping activities in may in the north western geopolitical region, they may have gone a step further  to embark on propaganda with their  international Collaborrators and sponsors against the Nigerian Government  to win the heart of the international Community .      

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