From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has debunked rumours circulating about the alleged surrender of notorious wanted bandit leader Bello Turji.
The DHQ said there is no truth in the report as the military is still looking for the bandit leader.
Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, made this known at a media briefing in Abuja.
Gen. Kangye, while responding to questions by journalists over the surrender of the bandit leader, said, “Bello Turji has not surrendered, we are still looking for him”.
It could be recalled that a prominent Islamic scholar, Musa Yusuf, popularly known as Asadus-Sunnah, had at a religious gathering in Kaduna announced that Turji had surrendered.
He said the breakthrough came after multiple mediation sessions between the clerics and Turji’s faction in Fakai forest, Shinkafi Local Government Area.
According to Yusuf, the peace initiative was triggered by appeals from residents of Shinkafi who sought safe access to their farmlands amid rising insecurity.
He said three rounds of talks were held in July with Turji and other key militia figures, including Dan Bakkolo, Black, Kanawa, and Malam Ila.
“There had been rumours that Dan Bakkolo was killed, but we met him and others in person,” Yusuf said.
“They accepted the peace proposal and surrendered some arms in three phases to demonstrate commitment. They also released 32 hostages, including women and children, who had spent nearly four months in captivity.”
