Notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has confirmed that he held peace talks with officials of the Zamfara State government under the previous administration led by Bello Matawalle – now Minister of State for Defence.
However, Turji vehemently denied the claim that he was paid ₦30 million as part of the engagement.
Turji’s confirmation comes in response to allegations made by Musa Muhammad Kamara, a former Special Assistant in the Matawalle administration who recently claimed he personally handled transactions, including cash and vehicles, to terror commanders.
In an audio message circulated online, Turji directly addressed the claim of a ₦30 million payoff made by Kamara, describing it as a fabrication.
“By Allah, since I was born, I have never possessed even five million naira,” Turji claimed. “What I am doing is not for personal gain. We were never given that ₦30 million you are talking about.”
He insisted that the meeting with state officials was solely part of a peace initiative and that he did not personally benefit financially from the process.
He accused Kamara of giving “false testimony” and betraying the trust established during the negotiations, adding: “I did not even receive three million naira.”
While denying receiving the alleged payoff, the bandit leader turned the accusation back onto former political leaders in the region, alleging that they were responsible for fueling the violence.
Turji claimed that former governors of Zamfara and Sokoto states, along with former governor Ahmed Sani Yerima, armed groups and encouraged the formation of vigilantes that specifically targeted Fulani communities.
“We say openly that former governors of Zamfara and Sokoto, alongside Ahmed Sani Yerima, are responsible for the calamities that befell these states,” Turji claimed, calling for their arrest and investigation.
He concluded by trying to distance his group from any political affiliation, stating: “We are not politicians, and we are not tools of politicians… There is no human being backing us.”