Suspected foot soldiers of notorious bandit leader Bello Turji have abducted 10 passengers and set their vehicle ablaze along the Kaura-Namoda-Shinkafi Road in Zamfara State.
The incident occurred a day after the Defence Headquarters declared Turji “a dead man walking,” vowing that his reign of terror would not extend beyond 2025.
The attack, which took place near Kwanar Jalab village in Zungeru Ward, Shinkafi Local Government Area, is believed to be connected to Turji’s earlier threat.
He had warned of widespread violence in Zamfara and Sokoto States if his brother, Baka Wurgi, currently in military custody, was not released by the end of December 2024.
An eyewitness, Garba Sani, noted that this was the first time bandits had burned a vehicle after abducting passengers. “They used to kidnap people along the road, but they have never burnt vehicles after an operation. This could be tied to Turji’s threat over his brother’s detention,” Sani said.
Baka Wurgi, Turji’s brother, was reportedly taken by military personnel from Shinkafi General Hospital, where he was receiving treatment.
Turji had issued a video warning of dire consequences if Wurgi was not released, escalating fears in the region.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress,Dr. Sani Shinkafi, has urged security forces to act decisively against Turji. “This is a slap in the face of our military. They must act immediately to neutralize Turji before he causes more harm,” Shinkafi stated.
At an end-of-year briefing in Abuja, Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, dismissed Turji’s warnings, asserting that the military would eliminate him and other terrorist leaders in 2025.
“Bello Turji is merely a dead man walking,” Buba declared. “Before him, there were other terrorists who boasted of their power. Today, they are all buried. Turji and his kind will meet the same fate. Their days are numbered.”
Efforts to contact Maj. Gen. Buba for further comments on the Zamfara attack were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
