Military strikes, arrests arms suppliers for notorious leader Bello Turji in Zamfara

In a significant development, the military high command announced on Thursday the successful arrest of suspected arms suppliers providing weaponry to the notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, in Kaduna. The three individuals, apprehended between November 14 and 17, 2023, remain unnamed as the military has not disclosed their identities.

Bello Turji, along with 18 others, was declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters on November 14, 2022, with a N95 million bounty placed on their heads. Turji, recognized as a highly dangerous bandit kingpin, has been linked to the de@ths of over 200 individuals, including women and children, in January 2022. He is also suspected of orchestrating the de@dly attack on Garki village in Sokoto in 2021, resulting in the tragic loss of over 80 lives in a single night.

Despite evading multiple military air strikes aimed at neutralizing him, the latest operation has brought a significant breakthrough. Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, revealed that the apprehended suspects were en route to deliver weaponry and ammunition to Turji in Zamfara when they were intercepted by troops.

Buba stated, “Between November 14 and 17, 2023, troops in separate operations arrested three suspected arms dealers (names withheld) in Zango Kataf and Kagarko LGAs of Kaduna State. Preliminary investigation revealed that they were on their way to deliver ammunition to Bello Turji, who is a notorious t#rrorist leader in Zamfara State.”

The seized items from the suspects included 504 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammo, 100 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammo, three RPG chargers, three mobile phones, one ATM card, and one vehicle. This successful operation marks a significant stride in the ongoing efforts to curb banditry and terrorism in the region.