Zamfara Governor Confident Bello Turji’s Days Are Numbered

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has assured residents that the days of the notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, are “numbered,” lauding the commitment of the Nigerian Armed Forces in combating terrorism in the state.

Lawal, during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, expressed optimism about the military’s determination to neutralize Turji.

“I believe Bello Turji is a matter of time; his days are numbered because I can see the commitment from the Armed Forces in terms of taking Bello Turji out,” the governor declared.

He added that Turji’s stronghold in the affected region has been a focus of the military’s ongoing operations. “That same axis where the incident took place is actually the axis of Bello Turji. I am confident, I am optimistic, and I believe the Nigerian Armed Forces this time around are ready to take him out.”

Airstrike Tragedy: Governor Clarifies Events

Governor Lawal also addressed the recent military airstrike in Tungar Kara, Maradun Local Government Area, which resulted in the tragic deaths of over 16 residents. The governor described the incident as unintentional and explained the sequence of events leading to the casualties.

“We have been battling issues within the last three days as a result of the airstrike. Let me say this, I have full information on what happened that fateful day because we made a distress call to the air force in terms of some bandits attacking communities, and they quickly responded, neutralising a lot of bandits,” Lawal said.

However, the governor explained that during a subsequent operation, community volunteers, including members of local vigilantes known as the Civilian Joint Task Force (CPGs), became unintended casualties.

The Governor noted, “On the second time when we made the same reports, unfortunately, at that time, there were some CPGs and some of those communities that came to rescue those under attack, and in the process, they were hit by the air force. I believe it was not intentional. It was one of those things in this kind of situation; sometimes there may be collateral damage, and that was what happened.”

Naija News reports that Lawal expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and outlined the government’s steps to address the situation.

“I set up a powerful delegation led by my deputy governor for an on-the-spot assessment and to commiserate with the families of those that lost their lives. In the process, what happened was fully explained, and they quite understood it was not intentional,” the governor said.