Troops of the Nigerian Army have killed a son of notorious bandit leader Bello Turji in a coordinated assault on hideouts in Zamfara State.
The operation, conducted under Operation Fansan Yanma, combined ground and air strikes to dismantle key strongholds in Fakai, a long-established base for Turji’s network in Shinkafi Local Government Area.
According to counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, intelligence sources confirmed significant losses for Turji’s group, including the death of his son and high-ranking lieutenants.
“We killed his son and many of his fighters during the operation. I also listened to Turji’s panicked voice calling for reinforcements from seven other bandit leaders. None of them showed up, and one of his spies narrowly escaped from us today,” a source revealed.
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Among the camps targeted were Zangon Dan Gwandi, Zangon Tsaika, Zangon Kagara, and a school allegedly used by Turji to store food and weapons. The military destroyed the school to disrupt Turji’s supply chain.
Turji was reportedly last sighted at Zangon Gebe, surrounded by heavily armed fighters. Intelligence indicates that he has been declared a “dead man walking” by the military, which has vowed to eliminate him and dismantle his operations across Zamfara, Sokoto, and Niger states.
The operation was led by special forces, supported by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), and supplemented by personnel from the Navy’s Special Boat Service (SBS).
Maj. Gen. Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, described the ongoing campaign against bandits like Turji as vital to achieving peace in the region. “The terrorists exist for the sake of war and must be destroyed for the sake of peace,” he stated.
The military has sustained pressure on terrorist enclaves and hideouts, with the latest offensive marking a significant blow to Turji’s network.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
