June 22 (THEWILL) — Notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji has surfaced in a new video claiming responsibility for recent attacks against security personnel in parts of Sokoto and Zamfara states, while extending an olive branch to the Federal Government for possible peace talks.
The video, which began circulating on social media over the weekend, is believed to have been recorded on June 20. It shows a masked man identified by observers as Turji addressing followers while flanked by heavily armed men dressed in military-style camouflage.
The message comes at a time when security forces have intensified operations across Nigeria’s troubled North-West, targeting armed groups blamed for years of killings, kidnappings and cattle rustling that have devastated rural communities.
In the recording, Turji sought to justify recent attacks allegedly carried out by his fighters, claiming they were responses to military actions and the seizure of livestock belonging to members of his network.
He accused security operatives and local vigilante groups of targeting innocent residents in communities around Shinkafi in Zamfara State and Sabon Birni in Sokoto State, insisting that people with no involvement in the conflict had suffered casualties during ongoing operations.
According to him, the attacks attributed to his group were retaliatory measures against those he accused of attacking their settlements and confiscating their animals.
While defending the activities of his fighters, the bandit leader also struck a conciliatory tone, declaring that his group would be willing to embrace dialogue if approached by government authorities.
“If the government is ready for negotiation, we are also ready for negotiation,” he said.
Despite his apparent openness to talks, Turji also issued a warning, suggesting that his group was prepared for a prolonged confrontation if military operations continued. He claimed that his fighters remained battle-ready and capable of responding to further offensives.
However, THEWILL could not independently verify the claims as security authorities had yet to publicly respond to the assertions as of the time of filing this report.
Turji, one of Nigeria’s most notorious wanted bandit commanders, has remained a central figure in the country’s security crisis for years. He has been linked to numerous violent incidents across the North-West and has repeatedly appeared in videos challenging authorities and commenting on military operations.
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