We’re ready to die — Wanted bandit leader dares security forces

Turji denied the allegation that bandits in the North-West are sponsored by former governors of Zamfara, adding that God is their sponsor.

Wanted bandit leader, Bello Turji, has dared Nigerian security forces, saying he is not afraid of being killed by them.

Turji, who is one of the 43 terrorists the Defence Headquarters declared wanted said this in a five-minute and forty-second video.

He said, “Sadists, who claimed that we are about to be killed, we are very sure that we are not in the world to stay for eternity. We are always ready to be killed.

“Killings have not started today; people were being killed since the era of past prophets. We are not afraid to die; we are not afraid of bombs.

“But you have not yet understood our message. People of Zamfara, when you stop killing our kinsmen; we will allow yours to live.

He also denied the allegation that bandits in the North-West are sponsored by former governors of Zamfara, adding that God is their sponsor.

Turji continues, “Governor Dauda Lawal and Bello Matawalle will not help. I want the people of Zamfara to understand that they are just politicians without the interest of the people of Zamfara in their hearts.

“When Matawalle was the governor, who was sponsoring us? When Abdulaziz Yari was the governor, who was sponsoring us? Nobody is sponsoring us except God.

“It was during the administration of Yerima that the government sold out the grazing reserve and legalised the killing of the Fulanis.

“When Muhmud Shinkafi came on board, he tried unsuccessfully to address the problem. Abdulaziz Yari came and empowered the vigilantes, but we are still struggling.

He, therefore called on the people of Zamfara State to collaborate with them for peace to reign and stop the bloodbath in the state.

In September, Turji released a video seeking reconciliation with the Federal Government but Northern leaders told the government to ignore him.

In a statement in which he advised the government, Alhaji Mustafa Dutsima, the Northwest Chairman of the Arewa Elders Progressive Group cautioned against any attempt to reconcile with those associated with banditry.

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