One of the 18 most wanted notorious terrorists leaders by the Nigerian security Bello Turji, has revealed those benefiting from terrorism in Nigeria. He was declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters in the middle of November 2022 with price tag of N5 million placed on each of the criminal’s heads.
Turji reportedly spoke on the phone with an online Hausa television monitored by Saturday Vanguard, alleging that some government officials are benefiting from banditry and terrorism in the country.Turji was, however reported asking rhetoric question that why has the security agents killed him yet, despite claims of knowing his hideouts.
The notorious bandit leader said this while lamenting the recent air raid on his abode and the killing of innocent people when he had agreed with government officials and community leaders to abandon banditry.Turji has led his groups to terrorize the Northern part of Nigeria, particularly Zamfara, Sokoto and Niger States.He also alleged that the Nigerian government was not interested in ending banditry. Recall that Turji, early this year, led his gang to carry out a massacre in Zamfara where almost 200 people, including women and children, were killed.
Reports emerged earlier in August this year that Turji embraced peace. According to the Deputy Governor of Zamfara state, Senator Muhammad Hassan Nasiha, the notorious terrorist, agreed to be peaceful with citizens of the state.However, on September 18, he narrowly escaped being killed when the Nigerian Air force bombed his house in Fakai village in the Shinkafi local government area of Zamfara state, which led to the killing of 12 of his fighters and relatives.
Subsequently, the Defence Headquarters mentioned his name in the list of wanted terrorists.Turji, while reacting to the military declaration, said the government has just broken the peace accord they had with him to stop banditry and protect the people of the Shinkafi axis from any attack.He said: “I wonder if truly the government wanted to kill me. I think they only wanted to provoke me by making me renege on my promise not to kill anyone. If they could spot my house why couldn’t they sight and kill me because I only left the house a couple of minutes when the bombardment occurred.“
The people should know their enemy from the onset. The government is provoking us so that we will take revenge on the poor masses.“The government is only fooling the gullible and naive people that they want to end banditry whereas in actual sense, they are the ones fueling the activities of the bandits and also benefiting from them.“Peace is priceless, and I’m ready to be a peace advocate unless the government wants me to be a warmonger. I’m ready for either peace or war. Whatever the government wants, we can give them a multitude.
.”According to him, there have not been any attacks in the last five months since his group reached a truce with the government, but the military has just attacked his home.“We feel betrayed, especially after the death of vulnerable people in the air strikes. The government only succeeded in destroying some parts of my house and other buildings belonging to innocent people.“For the past five months, we didn’t attack or kill anyone around Shinkafi. As a result, farming and other businesses were flourishing without any hitches. I feel embarrassed when my name was mentioned after the attacks by other terrorists”.