The Nigerian military has said notorious bandit leader Bello Turji is currently in a state of panic and confusion as intensified military operations close in on him and other armed group leaders operating in the North-West.
The Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation Fansan Yamma, Major General Warrah Idris, disclosed this on Wednesday, January 21, while speaking with defence correspondents touring the theatre of operations in Zamfara State.
Major General Idris said that although Turji has remained elusive, he is now under sustained pressure from coordinated military actions involving ground troops, intelligence gathering and modern surveillance technology.
According to the commander, the current tempo of operations has disrupted the movement and planning of bandit groups, forcing their leaders to remain constantly on the move.
“Based on the most current intelligence received, Bello Turji and others are currently in confusion and panic because of the intensity of our current operations,” Idris said.
“They are relocating every few hours, every few days.”
Naijaonpoint reports that the theatre commander also dismissed claims that Turji controls any local government area or village in the region, describing such assertions as propaganda designed to create fear and project false strength.
Idris insisted that the bandit leader has no fixed base and is perpetually fleeing from military pressure.
“How does a person who does not have a permanent location control an axis or a local government?” he asked.
Challenging the bandit leader directly, the commander dared Turji to substantiate claims of territorial control.
“I dare Bello Turji to come out and present a single local government that he is controlling,” Idris said.
He stressed that troops of Operation Fansan Yamma remain determined to dismantle bandit networks and restore security across affected communities in Zamfara and neighbouring states.
Idris assured Nigerians that the military would sustain the current offensive until armed groups are neutralised and peace is fully restored to the North-West.
He added that the ongoing operations are yielding positive results, as bandit leaders are being dislodged from hideouts and denied the freedom to operate.
The Defence Correspondents’ tour, he noted, was part of efforts to give the public firsthand insight into the realities of the ongoing counter-banditry operations in the region.