The Nigerian military has reaffirmed its commitment to capturing and eliminating notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, who has been a major threat in the country’s northwest.
Speaking on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief on Monday, February 24, 2025, Chief of Defence Operations, Major General Emeka Onumajuru, assured Nigerians that Turji is under surveillance and will soon be neutralized.
“As I speak, Bello Turji is in hiding. The armed forces are tracking him, and very soon, he will be eliminated,” Onumajuru declared, dismissing claims of any negotiations between the military and the bandit leader.
He urged Nigerians, especially residents of Sokoto’s Sabon Birni Local Government Area, to resist paying any form of illegal taxes imposed by Turji and his gang. This was in response to a recent claim by Sokoto lawmaker, Aminu Almustapha Boza, that Turji has been extorting locals.
“The military is here to protect you. We have troops securing farmlands and communities. Do not give in to any protection levy demands,” Onumajuru reassured.
With intensified military operations in the northwest, authorities are determined to bring an end to Turji’s reign of terror.
