The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa says notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, has expressed his willingness to lay down arms, following the intense military operations targeting to bring his activities to an abrupt end. The General revealed this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Friday.
General Musa said the recent military operations targeting Turji’s network have yielded enormous success, as most of his top lieutenants, including his second-in-command, have been brought down.
This intensified military onslaught against the notorious bandit leader has coerced him to release most of his hostages and express his willingness to surrender arms.
Musa also explained the challenges and limitations the military is facing in their efforts to track down Turji, he said the bandit kingbin’s movements are so unpredictable and therefore, making it uneasy for the military to act swiftly on intelligence.
“They (terrorists) are within the communities; the people know them. So, sometimes when they see them, before you get the information, it’s like two hours – the man has moved. So, when the information gets to you before you move, he has left that area.
“But I can tell you, we have taken out his second in command, we have taken out most of his lieutenants, in fact, he is forced now to release most of the people under him.
“I am telling you that recently, he is beginning to say that he doesn’t want anything, he is ready to surrender,” he said.
General Christopher Musa, however, noted that despite the encompassing challenges associated with tracking Turji down and bringing him to book, the military will not waiver in their concerted efforts to get him to justice in no time from now. He also added that despite Turji expressing willingness to surrender, he must shoulder responsibility for the heinous violence he has unleashed against innocent citizens, most especially in Zamfara communities.
Recall that Turji had made an affront on the military late last year when his lieutenant Baka Burgi was arrested. The bandit leader threatened to destroy the entire Zamfara if Baka was not released before December.
Reacting to the threat, Shinkafi condemned Turji’s ultimatum, calling it a blatant insult to the Nigerian military and security forces.
In an attempt to fulfil his threat, Turji attacked several communities in Zamfara when the ultimatum elapsed. He has continued causing mayhem in Zamfara even as the military has put him on his toes.
