Notorious bandits’ kingpin, Bello Turji, releases 52 kidnap victims

Following the bombardment and killing of two bandit kingpins, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, by troops of the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji in the Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji local government area of Zamfara State on Friday, another notorious bandit commander, Bello Turji, has released 52 kidnap victims his group had abducted.

Turji’s gesture of releasing the victims on Monday, according to security experts in the state, was part of his efforts to appease the state and federal governments towards granting him amnesty.

Turji had, in late 2021, reportedly written a ceasefire letter to President Buhari, Governor Bello Matawalle and the Emir of Shinkafi, asking for amnesty with a promise to lay down his arms, disband his group and release all captives in his camp.

A source at the Zamfara State Government House who confirmed the release of the abducted victims, said they were mostly from communities in Shinkafi, Zurmi, and Birnin Magaji local government areas of the state as well as Isa and Sabon Birni councilds of Sokoto State.

“The victims were released voluntarily by Bello Turji on Monday afternoon.

“The Zamfara State Governor had ordered the release of five buses which were used to ferry the victims to the Government House late in the evening. The five buses were sent to a river bank where the released victims had gathered waiting for us.

Read also: MURIC tasks Army to capture notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, dead or alive

“The freed captives were being taken to Gusau, the state capital, where they are currently undergoing medical checks,” he said.

Another official who also confirmed the release of the victims, said Turji took the step to appease the state governor to grant him amnesty.

“I can confirm that His Excellency knew of the decision by Turji to release the victims. For now, I know the stand is that there will be no dialogue with bandits because even the letter was disregarded.

“We also learnt that Turji has been pleading with some of his friends to release some captives as part of his plan to appease us but I’m not sure it will work,” he said.

The state police spokesperson, Mohammed Shehu, was not forthcoming when calls and text messages to his phone were not responded to at the time of going to press.

However, a senior military officer who is part of the Operation Hadarin Daji in Zamfara who spoke to Ripples Nigeria on the condition of anonymity, said Turji’s gesture was coming a bit late as the military has been given the all clear to “bring him and all bandits down.”

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