Why Government Does Not Want Terrorism To End – Notorious Terrorist, Bello Turji

One of the notorious terrorists’ leader operating in the Northwest geo-political zone, Bello Turji, has said that the Nigerian government was not interested in ending banditry in the country.

This was as he alleged that that officials of the Federal Government are benefiting from terrorism and banditry in Nigeria, stressing that he usually felt embarrassed when his name was mentioned after any attack by other terrorists group.

Turji, who stated these while speaking on telephone with an online Hausa television, asked rhetoric question, saying; “why security agents have not killed him in spite of claims to knowing his hideouts?”.

While lamenting recent air raid on his hideout which led to the killing of people, Turji said the bombardment was carried out after he had agreed with government officials and community leaders to abandon banditry.

Turji, who had earlier in August 2022 embraced peace later reneged and led his groups to terrorize the Northern part of Nigeria, particularly Zamfara, Sokoto and Niger States during which his group carried out massacre in Zamfara, killing about 200 people including women and children.

However, on September 18, Turji narrowly escaped death when the Nigerian Air force bombed his house in Fakai village in the Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara state but, 12 of his fighters and relatives were not that lucky as they got killed in the raid.

As a result, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters declared Turji among other terrorists wanted in November 2022, with a price tag of N5 million placed on each of head.

Reacting to the Defence Headquarters declaration, Turji said the government has just broken the peace accord they had with him to stop banditry and protect the people of the Shinkafi axis from any attack.

In the words of Turji; “I wonder if truly the government wanted to kill me. I think they only wanted to provoke me by making me renege on my promise not to kill anyone. If they could spot my house, why didn’t they sight and kill me since I only left the house a few minutes before the bombardment took place.

“The people should know their enemy from the onset. The government is provoking us so that we will take revenge on the poor masses. The government is only fooling the gullible and naive people that they want to end banditry whereas in actual sense, they are the ones fueling the activities of the bandits and also benefiting from them.

“Peace is priceless, and I am ready to be a peace advocate unless the government wants me to be a warmonger. I am ready for either peace or war. Whatever the government wants, we can give them a multitude,” he boasted.

Continuing, Turji said that there had not been any attack in the last five months since his group reached a truce with the government, adding that as a result, farming and other businesses were flourishing without any hitches.

According to him; “We feel betrayed, especially after the death of vulnerable people in the air strikes. The government only succeeded in destroying some parts of my house and other buildings belonging to innocent people”.