THE Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has firmly denied reports that notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has surrendered under a peace agreement facilitated by some Islamic clerics in Zamfara State.
Addressing journalists at a press briefing on Thursday in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye, said Turji remains at large and is actively being hunted by security forces.
“Bello Turji has not surrendered. We are hot on his trail and are not aware of any deal with any cleric,” Kangye stated.
Turji, who operates primarily in Zamfara and Sokoto states, is accused of orchestrating numerous deadly attacks on communities in the North-West.
Last month, a group of Northern Islamic clerics, led by Sheikh Musa Yusuf (popularly known as Asadus-Sunnah), claimed they had met with Turji and other armed leaders in the Fakai forest of Shinkafi Local Government Area.
According to Yusuf, the talks in July resulted in the release of 32 kidnap victims, the surrender of some weapons, and an understanding to allow farmers safer access to their farmlands.
The clerics reportedly engaged other key bandit figures, including Dan Bakkolo, Black, Kanawa, and Malam Ila. Yusuf insisted that all parties agreed to a temporary peace deal.
However, DHQ has dismissed these claims, saying they lack verification and do not represent any official government negotiation.
Kangye also responded to recent Amnesty International reports accusing Nigerian troops of extrajudicial killings in the Southeast, calling the allegations baseless.
“The military is not engaged in any extrajudicial killing in the southeast. People must understand that not every video or claim online represents the truth,” he stressed.
On recent protests by some retired military personnel, Kangye clarified that only a few individuals participated and that the Military Pensions Board, Defence Headquarters, and the Minister of Finance have since met with the aggrieved veterans to address their concerns.
The Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, added that the Chief of Defence Staff recently met with a five-man committee set up by the Ministry of Defence to work on improving veterans’ welfare.
